Witness protection Bill in the offing

Aug 04, 2011

The Uganda Law Reform Commission is finalising the draft Bill on the protection of witnesses in courts. The commission secretary, Frank Othembi, said they were working with the parliamentary commission to draft and present to Parliament the Witness Protection Bill.

By David Labeja

The Uganda Law Reform Commission is finalising the draft Bill on the protection of witnesses in courts. The commission secretary, Frank Othembi, said they were working with the parliamentary commission to draft and present to Parliament the Witness Protection Bill.

“A lot of work has gone into making the Witness Protection Bill, which I can say is coming within days,” said Othembi.

He was presenting a paper on the existing framework on witness protection and status of the Bill at a Judicial Colloquium (the meeting) held at Gulu Bomah Hotel last week.

Othembi said currently, there was no law in the country protecting witnesses.

He said the Bill focuses on the protection of witnesses of organised crime, arms smuggling, drugs trafficking and terrorism, a vice East Africa was catching up on.

According to a South African news website, News24, the UN’s Office on Drugs and Organised Crime believe drug traffickers have moved their interests to East Africa.

“These traffikers are faced with restrictions on the routes through Asia and the Middle East which have caused instability and increasing substance abuse.

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