West Nile warders warned against torturing prisoners

______________

KOBOKO - West Nile region-based prisons officers have been warned against torturing prisoners.

The warning came during a one-day training on the rights of prisoners. The 50 prisons officers were drawn from the West Nile districts of Arua, Koboko and Yumbe at Blue Cuts Hotel in Koboko on Monday, August 25, 2025.

David Pamba, the assistant superintendent of prisons, who represented the West Nile region prisons commander, said some prisoners are vulnerable, including pregnant women and refugees and should be protected. He acknowledged that many officers have not been trained on human rights issues and commended the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) for the refresher.

“We receive people who are tortured, malnourished and unhealthy, but we have to take care of them. We have to ensure the rights of the people are protected,” Pamba said.

David Pamba, the Assistant Superintendent of Prisons who represented the Regional Prisons Commander West Nile warned fellow officer to desist from torturing Prisoners. (Photo by Robert Ariaka)

He said the 50 officers are from Arua Main, Giligili, Koboko and Yumbe prisons and that 50 more from Ragem, Nebbi, Bidibidi and Lobule are to be trained.

“We are to receive these people and keep them and ensure they are safe, but if you torture them, the law will catch up with you. If the vulnerable person has abused the law, do not torture; handle it legally,” Pamba said.

He warned that violating the human rights of a vulnerable person in prison is illegal and that the department will not provide a lawyer to defend them.

Uganda Human Rights Commission director in charge of education, research and documentation, Byonabye Kamadi said, “We have not selected you because you are violators of rights, you cannot defend a right you do not know. Observation of human rights is not a luxury but a state dictated in law.”

"In the past, government officials would violate the rights of others and hide under the Attorney, but now the law holds individuals liable to pay for the violation of the rights of others," Kamad said.

West Nile human rights officer Bosco Okuru said the training mainly targets officers to uphold human rights, domestic violence in detention.