Victims of Human Rights Abuse complain of delayed justice

Victims of human rights abuse who have complained and registered cases with Uganda Human Rights Commission in West Nile are not happy with the long delays experienced in accessing justice with the commission.

Some of the victims also complain of meager benefits awarded by the commission once a judgment is passed. The victims were sharing their experience with officials of UHRC on Monday and Tuesday during a field visit in Nebbi and Zombo in monitoring and evaluation of the commission services to people.

James Pikwo, a resident of Nebbi Municipality who complained to the commission in 2012 over violation of his right to liberty said the case took him six years to be heard and concluded. He reported the cases in 2013 and the ruling was done on April 1, 2019.

He said this period is too long for one to wait for a case to be concluded and recommends  UHRC to fasten hearing of cases and government should expedite the process of paying the compensation monies.

Pikwo said police arrested and detained him for six days beyond the mandatory 48hours and this made him lose his job.  

He got sh1m as compensation and complains that, this money is too little because he lost his job due to the detention and failed to continue with education at degree level. Pikwo was a manager of a village bank in Nebbi but the detention kept him out of job without communication.

This made the management of the village bank discontinue him from work rendering him jobless to date. He recommends UHRC to speed up the hearing of cases to allow the complainants get quick justice and benefit.

Pikwo is still waiting for the office of the Ministry of Justice to pay him after his case ruling on April 1, 2019. He is yet to receive his Sh1m for his right to liberty that was abused by the Police.

Melki Awathumba aged 80 years says his son was shot dead by the police in a violent clash when a mob attempted to lynch a murder suspect in Panyimur Sub County in 2012. He reported the matter to UHRC in 2015 but he is still seeking justice up to now.

Awathumba said, his son was shot dead and left seven children and a wife. He is now taking care of the grandchildren and paying fees for two of them in secondary school while others are still in primary. I complained to the police offices but nothing was done to help me out.

This prompted me to report the matter to UHRC for further assistance. I am still following up on the case with officials of UHRC who have visited me four times in my village in Kombo, Nebbi Sub County to update me of the progress made.

Awathumba whose case file is currently before the commission head office in Kampala appeals to the commission to ensure justice prevails so that government pays for the death of his son who was shot by police in quelling a violent mob who wanted to kill a murder suspect.

Godfrey Oryem 34 years reported a case of murder in July 2018 when police in Zombo district shot dead Mathias Upoki 47 years in a land row in Patera village in Atiak sub-county.

The relatives are demanding government to compensate the deceased who was shot by police. He left behind 10 children and two widows. The children have all dropped out of school due to lack of school fees.

The commission officials led by Noel Oyungurwoth incharge of the monitoring and evaluation assured the victims of justice and promised to follow-up the cases.