Africa-Press – Uganda. The government has been tasked to establish more remand homes in Rwenzori region, as well as addressing other logistical challenges in the existing ones.
Mr Albert Mwebaze, the Human Rights Officer in charge of legal at Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Fort Portal regional branch, said most juveniles are detained at police stations with adults where they are picked to go to court, which is against the law.
“The challenge we have in the region is that most districts do not have remand homes for juvenile offenders, we only have one in Fort Portal which serves the entire region including Mbarara, picking them to take them to be taken court in Kasese or other districts is a challenge to administrators of the remand homes,” he said.
Mr Mwebaze made the remarks on Thursday during a training for human rights defenders in Rwenzori region, organised by the United Nations office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Uganda.
According to UHRC, most juvenile cases are delayed due to lack of logistical support, especially fuel.
Uganda currently has seven remand home centres in the districts of Arua, Masindi, Mbale, Naguru, Gulu, Kabale and Fort Portal City.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission annual report for 2021, recommends that government supports Uganda Police Force and the judiciary in constructing or designating child friendly detention facilities in all police facilities and courts.
The report shows that in Kamwenge District, two juveniles who were on charges of theft and defilement spent two days in police custody, which contravenes child rights justice standards.
In 2021, there was slight increase in the number of juvenile offenders from 1,220 in 2020 to 1,346 in 2021. Of these, 60 were female.
Naguru remand home had the highest number of juvenile cases standing at 523, Arua 235, Gulu 198, Mbale 145 and Fort Portal 90.
According to records from 10 central police stations, the most committed offences by juveniles were aggravated defilement with 391 cases, theft 196, aggravated robbery 99, murder 82, defilement 62, rape 42 and trafficking in children 28 cases.
Mr Emmanuel Bryma Momoh from OHCHR, said the human rights defenders need to be given enough knowledge to start advocating and reporting on human rights concerns with national and international human rights protection mechanisms.
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