Gulu Businessman Arrested For Punching Police Officer Enforcing Presidential Directive

A businessman in Gulu has been arrested for punching a female police for enforcing the suspension on the sale of non-food commodities as part of the preventive measures against the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Denis Obalim was picked up by heavily armed police officers from his shop along Ring Road on Tegwana Parish, Pece Division next to Cereleno Market on Thursday morning on the orders of the Gulu District Police Commander Emmanuel Mafundo. 

Obalim resisted orders by police officers to close his premises and order five people who were inside out.  Instead, he became violent and attacked a female constable who was standing next to him. He consequently punched her on the face sending her to the ground. Other police officers rushed to the scene and wrestled Obalim to the ground. 

They subdued him and bundled him in their police patrol vehicle registration number UP 5501 under the command of the DPC before whisking him to Gulu Central Police Station.

Tegwana parish Local Chairperson, Geoffrey Onekalit said it was wrong for Obalim to fight the officers on duty yet they asked him peacefully to obey their orders. Onekalit explains that Obalim had more than five people on his premises at the time of arrest, which contravened the president’s directives against public gathering to enforce social distancing.

The chairperson explained that he has summoned his executive to help sensitise residents on the preventive measures against corona and ensure that each household has handwashing kits as required. 

On Wednesday evening, the president suspended sale of non-food items in markets to avoid crowding to contain the spread of coronavirus.  He also banned public transport to prevent people from traveling from their current locations for fear of transmitting the virus to others areas. Uganda has 14 confirmed corona virus cases.