Some inmates in Uganda’s prisons will soon be pardoned and released following the current era of Covid-19.
The Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons Service, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, revealed today (Monday) that certain categories of inmates will be released to decongest the prisons as a means of checking the spread of the virus.
Dr Byabashaija said that once decongested, more space will be created in the heavily congested prisons around the country so that the remaining inmates will be out of danger of contracting Covid-19.
He said “select inmates who have served two thirds of their sentences and are not on capital offences” are candidates for the possible pardon.
Breastfeeding mothers who are not capital offenders and have served half of their sentences will also be released and inmates above 65 years of age who have served half of their sentences.
The proposal has already been sent to the Attorney General for the inmates to be pardoned.
The Commissioner General added that all inmates who have completed their mandatory remand periods and are not on capital offences will be submitted to court for consideration of court bonds.
Dr Byabashaija also mentioned other measures to decongest prisons including identifying new cells for isolation of new inmates.
So far, 200 cells have been set aside at Kyenjojo, Nwoya and Shema government prisons respectively and 2, 000 at Kitalya government prison.
