NEW assessment by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG) on conduct by the Police Force shows that the law enforcing organ was generally doing good with regard to adhering to laws, rules, regulations and human rights.
CHRAGG Chairperson, Judge (rtd) Mathew Mwaimu said overall assessment shows that the Police Force is doing a good job, which is why the country is peaceful and stable and crime has decreased.
However, the Commission has stressed the importance of the police to continue observing the laws, rules, and regulations while performing its duties as well as avoid acts of human rights violations.
Judge (rtd) Mwaimu made the statement during a media briefing in Dar es Salaam on Friday during the Commission’s assessment of the police force performance.
Despite that broad view, he said there have been complaints to the Police Force from suspects, the general public, and sometimes the media regarding incidences of human rights violations and violations of good governance norms.
Judge Mwaimu further said that from 2020 to 2022, CHRAGG was monitoring the operations of the Police Force by conducting ten inquiries into claims against the force and visiting police stations in various parts of the country.
In these inquires, he said the Commission found, among others, beating and torture of suspects during arrest or while investigation is underway, for the goal of the Police Force obtaining information connected to illegal activities involving suspects, suffering bodily harm and sometimes death.
Other issues include the existence of corruption allegations against some police officers, in the fact that some officers provide inaccurate information about issues brought up by the public.
“It is a fact that some police officers are found guilty and end up being sentenced to a felony that is irrelevant, and the fact that some suspects have been detained by the police for an extended period of time without being taken to court or given bail,” said Judge Mwaimu.
He also mentioned lack of equipment, limited housing for police officers, shortage of police officers, and deteriorating infrastructure at police stations.
“Offences committed by police officers with criminal orientation should first be investigated by other independent public institutions or bodies that may be created in accordance with the law,” he said.
He added: “To increase efficiency, the Police Force should implement the recommendations made by the commission,”