The 1.8 billion shillings compensation for #torture victims is a hoax - #Uganda #Kaweesi

Last week the High Court in Uganda awarded a shillings 1.8bn compensation to 22 victims of torture by Museveni's security forces. The 22 had been arrested in connection with the murder of AIGP Felix Kaweesi and gruesomely tortured by security operatives to extract confessions. Torture is a criminal offence under the Prohibition and Prevention of Torture Act 2012 and carried a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Torture in all its forms has been the trademark of the Museveni regime for the last 31 years. It is a tool for suppressing political dissent through the spread of fear amongst the population.

This is not the first-time courts of law have awarded compensation to victims of torture by security operatives. The regime does not honour such awards and both the courts and victims have no powers of enforcing such orders. Year after year, security agencies have been competing in scoring the highest incidents of torture with the police consistently trouncing other agencies in recent years. To escape criminal responsibility, in 2016 the police issued a circular to the effect that individual police officers were to pay any court fines awarded for torture by security operatives. As if that was not enough, the police set up a professional standard unit (PSU) and the police disciplinary tribunals as a cover-up for culprits of serious crimes against the population. That way the regime guarantees the immunity and protection of its officers in as far as torture is concerned.

Therefore, in the instant case the regime will not honour the 1.8b shillings compensation to the victims. Instead the ruling worsens the already bad situation for the said 22 victims of torture. As usual the will instead tighten its grip by continuously holding their victims in detention. Even when the Courts of law sets them free for one reason or the other, the regime will re-arrest them on fresh trumped up changes.  That way, behind the curtains the regime will instead initiate negotiations with the victims to give up their push for compensation in return for their freedom.  On the other hand, this ruling will drive the regime into influencing court decision so that the victims are unfairly either kept in detention or get convicted. The regime has scored through publicity by being portrayed as upholding the rule of law where courts award compensation to victims of torture. That is why it has not only kept silent but have not bothered to lodge an appeal against the court order.

This is not to discourage Ugandans from suing for damages in cases of torture at least for record purposes.

INFORMATION IS POWER AND DEFIANCE IS THE WAY TO GO

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