Police Defends Shooting Some Suspects

The National Police has dismissed accusations its officers are deliberately shooting suspects dead.

Police Spokesman CP Jean Bosco Kabera said rules of engagement under which police officers operate do not allow them to shoot unless confronted with a very serious situation.

“A police office shooting a suspect in handcuffs, for what purpose?” wondered Kabera at end of year engagement with media held Friday.

“It is true a police officer can shoot a suspect, for example in cases where suspect defies lawful order, or suspect attempts to escape. However, no officer can go to a point of arresting a suspect then handcuffing them and then shoot them.”

There were several cases of suspects shot dead last year, all of which have been explained in similar format: suspect was escaping.