Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Uganda Monitor
Published on 2024-04-10 11:04:34
A focused effort by the Internal Affairs Ministry to reduce overcrowding in government prisons in northern Uganda is showing positive results through the promotion of community service sentences and plea bargains. The Daily Monitor has discovered that since July 2023, the Directorate of Community Service at the Internal Affairs Ministry has been implementing community service programs in Gulu, Omoro, Nwoya, Amuru, and Atiak courts.
Community service is a type of punishment that benefits the community affected by an offender’s crime, with judges often ordering offenders to perform community service instead of or in addition to other punishments like imprisonment, fines, or probation. Mr. Tadeo Asiimwe, the chairperson of the National Community Service Division, sees a significant opportunity for free labor to support activities such as garbage management in the city, utilizing inmates sentenced to community service for such tasks.
Mr. Ronald Mutebi, the Officer in Charge of Gulu Main Prison, credits the Department of Community Service for helping to reduce overcrowding in Gulu Prison by encouraging convicts to opt for plea bargains. The Uganda Prison Service has introduced rehabilitation and integration programs to ease the transition of convicts back into society, promoting acceptance and community reintegration.
One beneficiary of the community service program, Mr. Geoffrey Berbedo Latoo, shares his experience of being sentenced to serve as a cleaner within Gulu High Court premises. His good work led to a job offer at the Resident State Attorney’s chambers, providing him with a source of income to support his family. The Chief Magistrate of Gulu, Mr. Said Barigye, emphasizes the significance of community service sentences in reducing prison overcrowding and offering offenders a chance to serve their sentences within their communities.
Justice Philip Odoki, the Gulu Resident Judge, stresses the importance of community sentencing in the Acholi region, still recovering from the LRA war. He urges greater visibility and promotion of community service sentences to address petty crimes and reduce backlog in courts and congestion in prisons. A progress report on the implementation of the community service program in Acholi shows positive results, with increased stakeholder support and sensitization leading to a higher number of offenders participating in community service.
Despite the program’s success, challenges like limited stakeholder involvement and lack of facilitation for training hinder its effectiveness. Monitoring and supervision of offenders serving community service orders are essential to ensure completion of sentences. The report highlights the need for ongoing sensitization and awareness campaigns to emphasize the importance of community service sentences in reducing recidivism and promoting rehabilitation.
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