More than 15 minor offenders in Rwenzori region are languishing in
jail due to lack of transport to take them to and from court, the
state prosecutor Michael Kwesiga has revealed.
According to Kwesiga, the minor offenders are expected to appear
before the magistrate’s court but their files are unattended to due to
lack of transport.
Kwesiga disclosed this during a dialogue organized by Karambi Action
for Life Improvement – KALI, a non governmental organization advocating
for the rights of children as part of the commemoration of the Day of
the African Child.
According to Kwesiga, Kitumba Remand Home in Fort portal lacks
reliable means of transport to take the minor offenders to appear in
courts of law in the different districts in the region.
Kitumba Remand Home holds juveniles from all the seven districts in
Rwenzori sub-region and greater Bushenyi districts. He appealed to the
local governments in the region to help transport the minors to court
so that their cases are heard and disposed off to reduce congestion in
the remand home.
Wilson Asaba, the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Kasese
district pledged to avail a vehicle for the transportation of the
children from Fort Portal to Kasese Magistrate’s court, adding
that support used to be there until the vehicle of the community
service department broke down.
During the dialogue, participants tasked Kasese district to
coordinate with the Gender, Labour and Social Development Ministry to
avail funds for the construction of a remand home in the district.
Jovia Kabugho from KALI said most children in conflict with the law in
Kasese take several weeks without appearing before a magistrate just
because they are being held from far.
However, Elly Magwara, the Kasese Vice chairperson opposed the
construction of a remand home in the district and instead proposed the
construction of rehabilitation center.