The high number of suspected juvenile criminals on remand at Kabale remand home in Kabale district is worrying leaders.
According to Henry Twinomuhwezi, Kabale High Court Assistant Registrar, 604 juveniles have been brought to the remand home from the districts of Kigezi and Ankole regions for remand since September 2018 it started operations. Out of the total, 586 are males.
He says that in June 2024, six male juveniles were committed to high court for trial on murder charges. Twinomuhwezi says judicial officers get surprised when juveniles who get released are later brought back for committing the same crimes. He says that the cases portray a loose social responsibility in communities. He adds that sometimes hearing of their cases is delayed by long distances from communities to court.
Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi , the State minister for gender in charge of youth and children says that the remand home has also registered about 61 cases of Juveniles from neighboring countries of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who cross to Uganda to instill bad habits in children.
Barugahara says that one of the Rwandan juvenile was arrested after he poured soap in food at kabala based Grace Village Orphanage so that children would die after eating. Barugahara also says that six of the juveniles on remand at Kabale remand home have already confessed to be living with HIV and have no medical care.
Barugahara says that he has already asked the court to conduct speedy trials of the victims so that they are transferred to another facility where they can access medical care.
Monica Muhumuza Nzeirwe, Kabale District Senior Probation officer, says that such cases put the future of responsible citizens and family members at stake.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner says that it is the responsibility of legislators to come up with laws regulating irresponsible birth. He also says parents should change and produce children they can manage to look after in order for such cases to reduce.
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