Kategaya Wants Terminally Ill Inmates Freed

TERMINALLY ill prisoners should be released to be nursed by their families, the First Deputy Premier and internal affairs minister said yesterday.Charles Ariko reports that Eriya Kategaya said it was costly for the Government to maintain prisoners who are sick in the prison with the few resources. Kategaya was yesterday officiating at the pass-out of 543 prisons officers at Luzira Prisons Training School. A total of 446 warders and 97 wardresses were passed out.He said releasing ill inmates would ease congestion in the prisons. Kategaya also proposed that the law on being idle and disorderly be de-criminalised since it is one of the highest contributors to the high number of prisoners on remand.“These people who are idle and disorderly should be left alone as long as they are not violent and a threat to society. There are many people who are unemployed and idle. Does it mean that we should arrest all of them,” Kategaya queried.The Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr. Joseph Etima, commended the Government for lifting a 12-year ban on recruitment, which enabled the Uganda Prisons Service to recruit new officers.During the ceremony, a team of taekwondo officers displayed martial art skills.Etima said each officer who joined the service underwent training in taekwondo fighting. He said this was one way of equipping officers with skills for self-defence in case of attack. in the course of their duties.Ends