Three police officers from Linthipe Police Station, all of whom have served at the post for over 20 years, have been accused of stealing Farmers Input Subsidy Program (FISP) fertilizer and seeds from poor farmers.
Cables indicate that for the past five years, the officers have been protected by former Deputy Inspector General Muwanga and the area’s Member of Parliament, Joshua Malango leaving the poor farmers in the area with no where to go .
The accused officers—Inspector Tchethani Masina, Assistant Superintendent Duncan Kamanga, and Inspector Wresham Dzungu—are alleged to have been targeting farmers by falsely accusing them of being fertilizer dealers, confiscating their FISP fertilizer and seeds as “evidence,” and then selling the inputs to actual fertilizer dealers.
Previously, farmers who attempted to report these abuses at Linthipe Police Station were intimidated and told that nothing could be done, as the officers were protected by senior police authorities and powerful politicians.
Despite the change in government, the three officers have reportedly continued exploiting poor farmers using the same tactics.
Several victims told Cables that the officers seized their FISP fertilizer and maize seeds under false pretenses, even though they are legitimate farmers from surrounding villages.
Frustrated residents say they are tired of the ongoing abuse and have turned to Cables to expose what they describe as the officers’ “dirty dealings.”
Community members warn that if Police Headquarters fails to take action, they may resort to their own measures—ones they say “will shock the police.”
The trio has also been accused of interfering with election results in previous polls in the said area .
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