The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Prisons Service has secured items worth 1.2 billion Shillings to boost its COVID-19 response thanks to a donation from the United Nations Office of Crime and Drugs, the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Frank Baine, the spokesperson of the Uganda Prisons said that the items which were handed over to the Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabasaija include 40 beds, 40 mattresses, 40 blankets, and teleconference equipment to be installed in Gulu, Arua, Mbale, Jinja and Mbarara prisons.
The consignment also has computers that are going to be used in the prisons training school, 320 balls for football, handball and volleyball, 3,750 bars of soap, 160 handwashing tanks, 32 Tecno phones among others.
Meanwhile, Baine cautioned people whose relatives were arrested in relation to COVID-19 regulations violations to be warry of conmen. Baine said they have received a number of complaints from people who claim they had given money to prison staffs in order for their people to benefit from the presidential amnesty.
“Amnesty is free, no one should be given money to have their people released,” Baine told a joint security taskforce briefing at the Media Centre in Kampala today.
About a month ago, President Museveni ordered the release of over 4,000 prisoners who had been arrested for contravening his directives on COVID-19. According to Baine over 3,300 people have so far been released ever since the order was given.
He added that even the other remaining 700 prisoners will be released after the Attorney General completes the process of their amnesty or their cases are discontinued by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
******
URN
