Tears of joy as Mauritius prison's boss encounters former jailbird in Luzira

When Boodadoo Rookminee Devi the Mauritius prison's boss entered Luzira Women's prison, a nostalgic atmosphere engulfed the craft room when she made eye contact with Mariam Mpopoya a former jailbird of Mauritius female Prison.

Could it have been a way of reconnecting with the jailers in Mauritius female prison? The hilarious moment brought to reality the English proverb, "It's only mountains that do not meet but human beings do."

It was a heartwarming moment at the prison's craft room when Boodadoo who was on the East African Community Bench Mark exchange visit to Uganda met Mpopoya who was once a prisoner in Mauritius prisons.

Boodadoo talks to Mpopya whom she found knitting with fellow prisoners. Photo by PETRIDE MUDOOLA.

"What a precious moment, I did not expect to meet someone I am familiar with. It's such a great opportunity to meet you dear," Boodadoo said as she hugged Mpopoya who was equally excited to meet her former jailer.

The two spoke in French and Boodadoo was heard confess that she was overcome with emotion upon meeting Mpopoya 38, who is serving a 28 year imprisonment over drug trafficking after court in Mauritius found her guilty of the offence.

"During her six years stay in Mauritius prisons, we lived a peaceful life with Mpopoya alongside her male baby boy. It's quite encouraging to find that she's undergoing rehabilitation as was the case in Mauritius,"   Boodadoo complimented.

Mpopoya expressed gratitude to Luzira Prison administration for giving her the opportunity to meet her former jailer.

 "Even though the meeting lasted a few minutes, it meant a lot to the convict, who is expected to be released in 2019. This is because she could hold her youngest son, who was born after she was imprisoned," Mpopoya said.

"I was three months pregnant with my youngest son, when I began to serve the 28 year jail sentence in Mauritius in 2008. It breaks my heart as I did not get the opportunity to give birth in private facilities but rather the prison infirmary," Mpopoya recalled.

In April 2015, Mauritius Government repatriated three Ugandans convicted for drug trafficking to continue serving their sentences in Uganda's jails.

The trio included Mariam Mpopoya 38, Fredrick Assimwe Kato 49, and James Musa Kanamwanje 49. Among the trio was a male kid who was born behind bars and now aged seven years.  

Kato was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment while Kanamwanje was convicted in 1998 to 25 years over drug trafficking.   

The convicted drug traffickers were flown to Entebbe International Airport aboard Kenya Airways flight and led to a waiting prison's van which whisked them to Luzira Maximum Security Prison amid tight security.

Dr Johnson Byabashaija the Commissioner General of Prisons confirmed to having received three prisoners from Mauritius Prisons Services to continue serving their sentences in his custody.

"Together with officers from the Attorney General's office, my staff went to Mauritius and met with the prison administration, made arrangements to provide physical escort to receive the prisoners into custody," according to Byabashaija.

Regarding facilitation of their transfer, Byabashaija said, Ministry of Justice is responsible for the transfer of foreign convicted inmates and the arrangements under which they were transferred.

"My responsibility was to receive them and execute sentences according to our rules and regulations but when it comes to the whole bilateral arrangements of the transfer, I would refer you to the justice ministry," Byabashaija responded.

Asked why in particular these inmates were transferred back to the country to serve what is left of their sentence yet numerous Ugandan prisoners still languish in foreign jails, in his response, Farouk Lubega the senior state attorney in the ministry of justice said, "There is  a bilateral agreement between  Uganda   and  Mauritius Government to facilitate the transfer of Ugandan citizens  jailed in Mauritius therefore we had to effect the  arrangement by  repatriating  some of  the prisoners who  were serving  the longest sentences," Lubega  stated.

Previously, there were five Ugandan citizens serving their sentences within Mauritius prisons but having brought back the three, Ministry of Justice is working on logistical arrangements to pick the remaining two according to Lubega.

"The deported prisoners will serve what is left of their sentences according to the Ugandan law therefore, Prison authorities will be guided by the solister general to ensure they work out the remaining term of their sentences," Lubega went on to say. 

Byabashaija noted that Mauritius is a common wealth country and so, the terms under which they were convicted in Mauritius can easily be applied but while here, our rules can also apply meanwhile, we have written to the solister general for guidance.

The Prison's Chief stated that these prisoners will not be accorded preferential treatment although they've been eating very well in Mauritius, while in Luzira prisons they will be treated like any other prisoners.

On May 17 2012, Parliament passed the Transfer of Convicted Offenders Bill, 2007 into law to ease repatriation of Ugandans serving prison sentences in foreign lands to serve their sentences in Ugandan jails.

Figures obtained from the Foreign Affairs committee of parliament indicate that majority of Ugandans in Chinese; Malaysian, Pakistan and Iranian jails are on drug related offences, which fetch a death penalty in those countries. 

According to the ministry of foreign affairs, twenty three Ugandans have also since been sentenced to death for smuggling drugs into China. Another 22 Ugandans are serving life sentences.

 In June 2014, two Ugandans Omar Ddamulira and Ham Andrew Ngobi were executed in China's Guangdong province over drug trafficking.