The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs has been instructed to present a report to Parliament within a week regarding the issue of extended pre-trial incarceration.
The government was initially expected to deliver this statement to the House on Tuesday, 4 February 2025. The report was intended to shed light on claims that some individuals have been confined in prisons for up to 28 years without undergoing trial.
However, the Attorney General, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, informed the House that the minister was unable to complete all the necessary consultations, citing the Judiciary’s preoccupation with preparations for the recently concluded Supreme Court ruling on the trial of civilians in the General Court Martial.
“I regret to inform you that we are unable to make this presentation today. When the matter was raised last week, the minister made an effort to engage the Chief Justice and the Judiciary team, but they were occupied with the ruling that was delivered on Friday,” stated Kiryowa Kiwanuka.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa expressed dissatisfaction with the reason given for the minister’s inability to fulfill Parliament’s request, noting that the Uganda Prisons Service regularly provides updates on the status of inmates.
“The Uganda Prisons Service submits reports to the Director of Public Prosecution and other relevant entities every six months, detailing the number of prisoners and their legal status. I do not see why further meetings would be necessary since the records are readily available,” Tayebwa remarked.
The Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, stated that the committee had already supplied the Attorney General’s Office with ample details gathered during their oversight visits to detention facilities.
“We provided the Deputy Attorney General with a detailed list of all detainees who have been on remand for periods ranging from a few months to 28 years. I believe this information is sufficient for the ministry to act upon,” Odoi-Oywelowo asserted.
He elaborated that the submitted records contain details about the prisoners’ locations, the offenses they were accused of, the dates of their arrest, and the duration they have spent in custody.
Kiryowa Kiwanuka argued that his office cannot take action based solely on the information provided without seeking input from the courts responsible for ordering the remand of these prisoners.
“These individuals remain under the jurisdiction of the courts. Simply having the list in the Attorney General’s Chambers does not grant us the authority to intervene,” he explained.
