On Monday, a tribunal led by UHRC Chairperson Mariam Fauzat Wangadya convened at the Commission’s Moroto regional office to assess and dispose of cases, especially those lacking sufficient evidence. Most of the cases relate to alleged violations of the right to life, protection from torture, and personal liberty.
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The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has begun reviewing longstanding human rights violation cases in the Karamoja sub-region, aiming to reduce the backlog that has overwhelmed its tribunal system. On Monday, a tribunal led by UHRC Chairperson Mariam Fauzat Wangadya convened at the Commission’s Moroto regional office to assess and dispose of cases, especially those lacking sufficient evidence. Most of the cases relate to alleged violations of the right to life, protection from torture, and personal liberty.
Among the cases dismissed was that of Paul Apur, a resident of Kaabong district, who accused Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers of shooting and injuring him when he was a minor. The tribunal ruled that the case lacked adequate evidence—such as medical records or eyewitnesses—to prove that a state agent was responsible for the injuries.
Apur reportedly did not recall the shooting incident and relied on second-hand accounts. Although the tribunal acknowledged visible scars on his body, the absence of corroborating documentation or testimony led to the dismissal of his case. Wangadya confirmed that 20 cases had been reviewed so far this week, with eight dismissed for lack of evidence.
She attributed the backlog to prolonged delays in tribunal sittings due to inadequate resources and a shortage of commissioners. She emphasized the need for increased funding to convene sessions, support complainants and witnesses, and pay expert witnesses, such as medical professionals. Wangadya also noted logistical hurdles in summoning witnesses across vast areas.
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The UHRC chairperson acknowledged that some complainants had died before their cases could be heard. She urged mediation as a quicker path to justice and noted that most reported violations stem from disarmament operations conducted by joint security forces.
She pointed out that many violations could have been avoided had communities heeded the President’s call to voluntarily surrender illegal firearms. Many complaints revolve around torture, illegal arrests, detentions, and violations of the right to life during forceful disarmament.
Paul Piramoe, the Regional Human Rights Officer for Moroto, revealed that the Moroto regional office has recorded 445 complaints across the investigation and legal departments. Of these, 166 are under active investigation and 279 are with the legal team for further review.
He said most complaints implicate the UPDF due to their role in disarmament operations, followed by the police. Cases involving prison officers are rare. Piramoe noted that of the 166 cases under investigation, 50 are pending summarization of evidence, while 106 require further fieldwork. Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism about reducing the backlog to below 100 by the end of the financial year.
He highlighted challenges in accessing detention records, especially in UPDF facilities such as the 3rd Division, which lack standard lockups and often detain suspects at inaccessible brigade or battalion levels. Piramoe also raised concerns that torture victims often avoid medical facilities, choosing instead to self-treat at home, making it difficult to obtain medical documentation essential for substantiating claims.
He emphasized the importance of community sensitization through radio and public dialogues (barazas), noting that many complainants struggle to recall accurate timelines, which complicates investigations. “We want to see how we can reduce, actually eliminate those and then embark on the fresh complaints,” Piramoe said. “But when you go, for example, to issues to do with torture, we have a very big challenge obtaining medical documents.”
