Death sentence cruel â€" Prisons

Feb 13, 2003

The Prisons Department has asked for the abolition of the death sentence, saying it traumatises prison’s warders.

By Anne Mugisa

The Prisons Department has asked for the abolition of the death sentence, saying it traumatises prison’s warders.

The department also wants representation in Parliament.

Senior officers of the department presented their memorandum to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) yesterday.

They said the warders suffer severe trauma after escorting inmates to death.

The officers, led by Senior Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Emorut Ekirapa, said 38 condemned prisoners had been hanged in three execution sessions since 1990. Nine of them were hanged in 1993, 17 in 1996 and 12 in 1999.

“Our work entails us to be with the prisoners for a long time and we develop a relationship. So we get so traumatised because at the end of the day, we have to lead the same person to the gallows then confirm that he is actually dead,” Ekirapa said.

Assistant Commissioner David Nsalasata said a number of prison warders “have gone off their heads” after witnessing executions.

The officers said once a notice of execution is issued, it is hanged at the gate for everybody to see, then the warders inform the concerned condemned person, ask him to make a will and then on the appointed day, lead him to the gallows.

“It is a very very traumatic experience,” Dr. Byabashaija added.

The officers said the death sentenced should be replaced by life imprisonment, but this time, the convict must never leave prison until their death. They explained that currently, a life sentence is 20 years and the inmate ends up serving 16 years after remission of a third of the period.

They said as at December 31, 2002, 354 prisoners were on death row after conviction.

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