Uganda police charges officers for arresting bride from wedding site

By Hamza Kyeyune

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda's police has charged four officers for objectionable conduct after they barged into a wedding function and arrested the bride.

The officers barged into the wedding function in Mbarara city, western Uganda and arrested the bride on allegations that she stole money from her previous work place.

She spent the night in prison while the guests waited at the venue as the groom struggled to secure her release.

The bride was working as a bank agent where she made a loss of about $2,000, prompting her former employer Henry Mirembe to report a case of theft.

Uganda police spokesperson Fred Enanga told Anadolu Agency that although it is the duty of officers to arrest and produce suspects in court over sanctioned charges, in this case, the arrest was based on poor judgment.

“It was not a life-threatening situation that the police and complainant would lose anything by arresting her after the wedding. We are charging them for discreditable conduct which upon conviction warrants dismissal from the force," Enanga said.

Ezekiel Emitu Ebapu, regional police commander for Rwizi, where the incident happened, said the arrest was merely an arrangement with the complainant and the errant police officers to go and embarrass the bride, without approval from the senior commanders.