Police asks Parliament to review law on fake drugs

PIC: Police director for research and planning Edward Ochom and head of Uganda Police Criminal Investigations department Grace Akullo before the health committee of Parliament over fake Hepatitis B vaccines. Ochom said the sentence on the perpetrators is too light to bite. (Credit: Maria Wamala)

LAW ON DRUGS

KAMPALA - The Uganda Police Force has asked Parliament to tighten the law governing drugs in the country, saying that it is too weak to deter perpetrators.

While appearing before the heath committee of Parliament over prosecution of perpetrators involved in the recent fake Hepatitis B drugs in the market, Police director for research and planning Edward Ochom told legislators that their main challenge was the weak law that leaves a lot of room for the presiding judicial officer.

"The sentence provided in the National Drug Authority Act is too light to deter perpetrators."

Legislators on the health committee of Parliament during committee session at Parliament. (Credit: Maria Wamala)

"For example, in most cases, the value of the drugs involved is high and someone would deserve seven or eight years in prison but they are asked to pay money that is not more than sh1m,which is not deterent," Ochom said.

On the other hand, the director of the criminal investigations department in the Police Force, Grace Akullo, said Police does not have laboratories where authenticity of products such as drugs can be checked.

She said NDA should always write to them so that the Force can crackdown the perpetraters." Akullo said.

Woman MP Kyotera Robinah Sentongo said the two institutions need to work together to save Ugandans from unsafe drugs.