Summary:
- Dr. Barugahara reported that Kabale Remand Home currently houses 62 child offenders, with some children having been detained for up to six months without any progress in their cases.
KABALE: The Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Dr. Balaam Barugahara, has raised concerns over the prolonged detention of child offenders in Kabale Remand Home without trial, deeming it unacceptable, particularly for those with serious health conditions like HIV/AIDS.
Officiating as the chief guest on Tuesday during the Kabale District’s belated celebrations of the Day of the African Child at Kabale National Teacher’s College, Dr. Barugahara noted that during his visit to Kabale Remand Home, he discovered significant delays in the trials of children, especially those with HIV and other serious illnesses, who require urgent medical attention.
Dr. Barugahara reported that Kabale Remand Home currently houses 62 child offenders, with some children having been detained for up to six months without any progress in their cases. He emphasized that timely trials are essential to prevent prolonged detention, which could severely impact the children’s health and well-being.
CUE IN DR. BARUGAHARA…….ON DELAYED TRIALS…….ENG//
However, speaking at the same event, Kabale High Court Assistant Registrar Henry Twinomuhwezi attributed the long delays in trials to several factors, including a shortage of judicial officers, limited court sessions, and case backlogs caused by the absence of remand homes in most districts in the Kigezi region and neighboring districts like Bushenyi and Mbarara in the Ankole region.
CUE IN TWINOMUHWEZI…..ON CASE BACKLOGS……ENG//
The Children’s Act stipulates that a child offender should be produced in court within 12 hours and restricts detention to no more than six months for a capital offense and three months for a minor offense.
