Kitgum, Uganda | URN | The Police in Kitgum district are holding 110 teenagers arrested while attending night events on Friday 29th, November 2019 night.
The suspects mostly students who returned home for the third term holidays were arrested from hotels and night clubs that hosted “corporate” night dances within the municipality.
Robert Ogen, the officer in charge of Criminal Investigation at Kitgum Central Police Station says the arrest is in line with the district’s education ordinance that bars involvement of school going children in night clubs.
The education ordinance approved in 2009 gives legal backing to the district authorities to conduct arrest of school going children and those sabotaging their future. Ogen disclosed that the teenagers were arrested from Gates Bar, the Dream Bar, Bomah Hotel, while others were picked from areas of Alango East and Labuje.
He says the suspects are still undergoing screening to ascertain the numbers of girls and boys arrested and their particulars adding that they will later be subjected to interrogation.
“We shall screen the suspects and later interrogate them. We shall detain them and wait for other further decisions by the district leaders,” says Ogen.
The Friday night arrest follows resolutions from the district leaders to curb related cases of teenage pregnancy and marriage, spread of sexual related diseases and poor academic performances consequently leading to school dropout.
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The Kitgum District LCV Chairperson Jackson Omona last week warned that teenagers arrested attending corporate night parties will be subjected to community services citing slashing of grasses along pager river.
The night event hosted mostly every last Friday of the month where old songs from far back as the 1960’s to 1990’s are played. The event has become very popular within Kitgum district and attracts mammoth crowds.
Local leaders however say the event that should have been for adults only, is currently filled up by teenagers due to limited regulations.
