Up to 71 people were arrested during a police operation in Lugazi after they were found drinking and partying in bars.
In an operation carried out in areas of Lugazi, the police arrested up to 71 people who were found drinking and happening in bars.
According to Hellen Butoto, the Sezibwa Region Public Relations Officer, they embarked on the operations following a tip from area constituents.
She said contrary to the presidential directive to have all bars non-operational in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, many small bars and lodges were found operating normally.
“The Joint operation by sister security agencies started at 8:30PM on Tuesday night in the slum areas of the Municipality,” Butoto said.
“Police carried out the operation after a tip off from the local village leaderships in the communities in Lugazi Municipality that small bars and lodges with bars are operating, ushering in people who received or are yet to get the relief money.”
In addition, she said some of the suspects were ladies who had positioned themselves around the bars and lodges for reasons yet to be identified.
Butoto revealed that when they tried to chase down all the suspects, two officers sustained serious injuries in the process. She said the drunkards also aimed stones at the officers who had gone to capture them.
“Some of the suspects were ladies found positioned themselves. Two of our officers during the operation sustained injuries after some of the drunk suspects turned violent and started stoning the officers. The officers are receiving treatment at Kawolo Hospital.”
“There were 10 ladies among those arrested,among them, the bar owner,” Butoto revealed noting that all the suspects they trapped will be arraigned before the court and charged with engaging in acts likely to culminate into the further spread of the virus.
She, however, urged the general public to desist from such dangerous acts because they minimize the government’s actions stressed earlier to contain the spread of the virus.
“The suspects will be charged with doing an acts likely to spread an infectious disease. We urge all members of the public to remain vigilant, observe the Ministry of Health SOPs and stay safe,while ensuring the safety of everyone else. Security agencies shall continue to enforce the guidelines in an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.”
Meanwhile, this comes at a time when the virus continues to surge countrywide. The health ministry Wednesday confirmed 480 new cases from COVID-19 tests done on 12 July 2021 pushing the cumulative confirmed cases to 88,674.
As of Thursday morning, 63,140 people have since recovered from the virus while 2,203 have since succumbed to it after the ministry announced 39 new deaths on Wednesday.
