The CID notes that it was inappropriate for only prison officers to guard a detention facility that had 684 prisoners of which 107 were waiting to face Court Martial for engaging in armed robberies, gun violence and several of them were army deserters.
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Courtsey image of Commissioner General UPS Dr Johnson Byabashaija
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The Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID has advised the Uganda
Prisons Service to deploy soldiers to guard government prisons.
This follows last month’s escape of 223 prisoners from Moroto government
prison.
According to a report compiled by the CID, the investigating team led
by Francis Oulugu, the head of crimes desk at CID recommended for the deployment
of soldiers at all major government prisons since many of them are holding high
profile suspects.
The CID recommendation is contained in a report
about the investigations that commenced on September 29 purposely to uncover
circumstances that led to the escape of prisoners from Moroto government
Prison.
The CID notes that it was inappropriate for only prison officers to
guard a detention facility that had 684 prisoners of which 107 were to
face the Court Martial for engaging in armed robberies, gun violence and several of
them were army deserters.
“There is a need to deploy soldiers at government prisons so that they could be
in a position to handle situations like this . Prison officers
need regular refresher courses.
Intelligence personnel should be deployed at all prisons to have
regular information on inmates plans,” CID states in the report.
The investigation team also recommended the installation of Closed Circuit
Television –CCTV cameras purposely to monitor prisoners’ movements, groupings,
interaction with prison officers and visitors.
“There should regular inspection of inmates’ rooms, entrance and
exits points. The deployment should always be reasonable compared to the number
of inmates. We have established that Moroto Prison had only 48 staff and only
16 guns,” the report adds.
The Uganda Prisons Services Spokesperson, Frank Baine, said he is yet to receive a copy of the report and comment after.
“What I know is that CID documents are classified but if you got
them as you journalists, I can’t discuss what I have not seen. What I know was
the OC Norman Aruho who was suspended to allow smooth investigations,” Baine
said.
At least five prison officers have been recommended by CID for prosecution
either at disciplinary level or criminal court because of their roles in the
escape of 223 prisoners.
They include Aruho, head of reception Fred Mugisha,
Joseph Anguadia, Warder Atunu and Geoffrey Owori.
Olugu’s team has since established that the prisoners’ escape was
not an abrupt incident but a well-calculated move that involved prison officers
attached to the same incarceration facility.
Investigators in their report say the escape process started a fortnight
earlier when Aruho, appointed a new prisoner, a hardcore murder suspect Loguti
Mariko, as head of prisoners.
Before the prison escape, CID indicates that Mugisha received
130,000 shillings on his mobile phone from a source that indicated it was for
Lotipus Challakweng, one of the inmates that escaped.
Senior Staff Reporter
Joseph Kato is currently a Master's candidate at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Kampala International University, a Diploma in Journalism and he's also a graduate in Guidance and Counseling.
