Category Archives: Prisoners

A woman suspected of killing the former Uganda army commander is under tighter security scrutiny in prison

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A WOMAN SUSPECTED OF KILLING UGANDAN ARMY COMMANDER IS NOW CLASSIFIED AS A HIGH SECURITY RISK PRISONER AT LUZIRA MUXIMUM SECURITY PRISON.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Prison authorities at the Luzira Maximum Security Prison in Uganda have classified a woman suspected of killing her lover, a former army commander, as a high security risk prisoner, and placed her under twenty four hour surveillance while in prison cell awaiting her trial for the murder case.

The suspect, Atim Draru ,according to the Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabasaija, is under extraordinary surveillance normally accorded to prisoners, whose safety authorities fear might be compromised.

The Commissioner-General said in an interview published by the SUNDAYVISIO this morning, that Draru now joins the ranks and lists of former and current high security risk inmates, while awaiting for her trial, for the killing of her former lover.

Others are former Ministers Jim Muhwezi, Captain Mike Mukula and Dr Alex Kamugisha who in 2008 spent a few days in Luzira Maximum Security Prison, over the alleged corruption, involving money from the Global Vaccine Initiative {GAVI},MPS Hussein Akbar {Arua Municipality}, and Abwoili Kyahurwenda {Buhuguzi County}, who are facing separate murder charges.

FDC leader, Dr. Kiiza Basigye who was held on treason and rape charges in 2005 was also classified as an inmate of high-security risk. He was monitored for 42 hours via closed circuit TV.

Draru is facing a murder charge, after confession to killing her lover, Maj-General James Kazin, during a domestic squabble in November last year.

“There are three prison warders working eight hours shifts, monitoring her every move and submitting written report every hour”, said the Prison Chief.

The book is available for perusal by visiting justices, members of parliament, religious leaders and others.

Those who have been subjected to similar security measures include, ironically, the fallen Maj-Gen James Kazini, who on March 27,2009, was sent to Luzira Prison on charges of bloating the army payroll with ghost soldiers, and causing army a loss of Ushs 62 million.

Prison authorities in Uganda learnt  a hard lesson in 2005, when Private Joh  Atwine, a soldier with UPDF, who was then a suspect  in Kampala City lawyer Robinah Kayinga murder case, died under mysterious circumstances while in their custody.

Atwine fell sick and was taken to the sick bay, which is an isolated cell, and  that particular incident caused a serious security breach.
Like other high-security risk inmates before her, Draru has received a visit from the Commissioner for Prisons, Dr. Byabasaija.

Byabasaija further stated, “ I always visit the {high security prisoners} to find out how they are faring, and if there is anything I can do for them”.

Asked about his impression of Draru, Dr. Byabasaija said, “She was a very worried person .Her bosom was heaving a sign of someone with a lot in her mind. However, she was guarded in her speech, which is understandable, considering her condition and circumstances”.

“She looked a harmless  woman. Moist people convicted of murder are not dangerous. In most cases, they are crime of passion, or an accident. The dangerous ones are armed robbers, because they  take time to plan their action”, Dr Byabasaija said.

Besides a visit by prison chief, Draru has two regular visitors. Her aunt and a cousin always come together to see her in prison.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya’s Judiciary Department is Dysfunctioning

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Folks,

This is an act of corruption and impunity denying Citizens the right to assemble and is tantamount to acts of Human Rights Abuse. Secondly, these people had applied for permit to assemble, why were they rounded up and taken to custody as criminals? Why were they harshly rafled up and inhumanly mishandled? Why did they get charged? Why were they given free bond for release if they were criminals?

The Coalition Government has failed in its mandate to provide security and protect its citizen unfair treatment and are not able cooperate amicable with the Society demands to dialogue, so to avoid confrontations. As can be seen here, the Judicial Ministry not functioning and has also failed to respect and honor people/public dignity for peaceful assembly. The public are treated like bags of potatoes without due regard for the older women who were in the midst of the demonstrating group. They were all treated like thugs or criminals. This is quite an unfair treatment. I suggest the Kenyan court is equally not qualified to handle and tackle the judicial civil cases without being manipulative when using powers of the Justice Department or prosecute anyone for injustices. This is because this body does not respect principle of the bar and cannot be trusted. They are not competent and are all prejudiced and suspected to have been compromised in the handling of such kind of Civil matters. They have no business occupying public judicial offices and are earning public money dishonestly.

We demand that the Coalition Government take early opportunity to dismantle the Judicial body including Wako and replace them together with the Judges with unpoluted characters, who the Republic can generate trust to give a just and unbiased ruling in administering Law.

We hope International friends and sympathizers will also help in adding pressure to the Government to stop harrassing Civilians unfairly those who are excercising their democractic rights to demand justice and service delivery.

Thanks,

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

Check this out……..

Activists request to hold anti-Ongeri demo

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenyans,

Following our release on free bond on Saturday (26th December, 2009) we appeared before Magistrate Grace Nzioka this morning to answer to amended charges of engaging in an unlawful assembly. However, as indicated in my previous update, before proceeding to plead to these charges, we applied to the court that the magistrate disqualify herself from hearing the case as in our view her manner of handling the case on Thursday had betrayed her lack of independence and in that event compromised our constitutional rights. In this regard it is our intention to make an application to the High Court. The magistrate disqualified herself and for about two hours we waited outside the Kibera Law Courts to be informed to whom the case had been referred and when it was scheduled to be heard.

We were eventually directed to Court No. 4 where the Magistrate insisted that a plea must be taken from each of us before we can move to the High Court for a ruling concerning the violation of our constitutional rights in the arrest, initial appearance before court, re-arrest and treatment while under police custody.

We all entered a plea of “Not Guilty” and the mention date was set for 3rd February, 2010 and the hearing date for 22nd February, 2010 in Court No. 1 before Mrs Kidullah.

The Magistrate set the cash bail for our release at K.Shs. 5000/= each. We appealed to the court for lowering of amount since we are all people of simple means and the amount was simply too high. Despite three lawyers standing to support us in our appeal, the magistrate remained adamant and indicated that if in a week’s time there will be people still in custody for failing to raise the amount, then the court would consider reviewing it. The matter of bail was further complicated by the fact that tracing the court cashier at that late hour of the day was tedious in itself.

It is amazing that we found a police lorry with armed policemen already waiting for us as though they had anticipated we would be returning to the cells at least for tonight if not for more days and nights. It is also amazing that similarly to last Thursday, when we first appeared in court, our matter was delayed all day long only to be dealt with in the evening. Further, the matters that the magistrate was not specific about were implicit directions to the prosecution on how they can keep us in continued custody.

In any event, we managed to post bail of Kshs. 110,000/- for the whole group, thanks to well wishers (friends of the people of Kenya). We will be returning to court on 3rd February, 2010.

We thank you for your continued support – especially everyone that attended court with us, contributed towards the bail or just put out a message of solidarity.

Regards,

George Nyongesa

Bunge la Mwananchi

Uganda Women Prisoners are demanding to have sex with their husbands inside the prisons

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UGANDAN WOMEN INMATES ARE DEMANDING TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE SEX WITH THEIR HUSBANDS WITHIN THE PRISON WALLS.

REPORTS leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

WOMEN inmates at Luzira main Prison in Uganda have asked to be granted the right to have sex with their husbands within the prison walls!!

This, they argued would help in the speedy rehabilitation of prisoners, the government owned daily the NEWVISION reported this morning.

The report appearing in latest edition says, the demand was made on Tuesday this week  at the Luzira Prison’s Women Wing during a ceremony to mark the International Human Rights Day.

The Luzira Prison, which is located about 9 miles east of the capital on the western shoreline of Lake Victoria has a special women wing, which the report says is currently holding  306  prisoners.

The notable among the inmates was Miss Lydia Draru, the woman who last month confessed to killing the former UPDF Commander in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also in South Sudan, Major-General James Kazini.  She is currently remanded in this facility while waiting for her murder trial to commence on dates yet to be fixed by the High Court.

The plea by women inmates was delivered to the guests by a prison’s women choir in a song entitled “Rehabilitation in Prison”, saying it was their inalienable right.

However, the Commissioner General of Prisons in Uganda, Mr Johnson Byabasaijja, rejected the plea out rightly, saying the privileges cannot be granted under the prevailing situation.
The Commissioner was further quoted as saying that the Uganda Prison Service has far more pressing issues to deal with, like improving the welfare of prisoners.

“We are not in a position to even talk about conjugal rights now. We have to get you enough rooms, together with basics. After that then we will be able to talk about these rights,” Byabasaijja said.

When contacted by the paper to give his legal opinion over the issue, one Kampala lawyer, Mr Isac Afuna commented, saying that every married woman prisoner has a right to have sex with her spouse.

“Currently, the people have not yet pushed for it. But a married woman prisoner has a right to enjoy her conjugal rights,” the lawyer said.

Several countries have provisions allowing prisoners conjugal rights. These include the United States, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Denmark, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

The ceremony was jointly organized by Human Rights Network and the Uganda Human Right Commission.

Guests included the Netherlands Ambassador to Uganda, Joroen Verhaul. The visit to Luzira main Prison, was intended to show solidarity with women prisoners and raise awareness on human rights concerns.

Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com