CID wants soldiers to guard government prisons

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   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 [Moroto escape]. 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.

********

URN