We do not use 'drones'-Police

“The Directorate of Traffic interested themselves in these cars and they were imported into the country to be used for both public and private transport, ’the traffic police has impounded vehicles that do not have proper registration,” he said.

Twaruhukwa made these remarks as he appeared before the parliamentary Committee on Human rights which was discussing human rights violations in the country.

Drones, as they are called, are said to be behind kidnappings and arbitrary arrests of political opponents of the ruling National Resistance Movement government.

Twaruhukwa added that the police have imparted to the public the procedure when anyone loses a number plate.

“Today, no motor vehicle can be driven on the road without proper registration,” he said.

Also in parliament, the Director in Charge of Operations, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Edward Ochom, said police require more budgetary facilitation to probe or prevent cases of torture.

The witnesses, he said, have to be facilitated.

“The reason why there are many pending cases or backlog is because we lack funds to facilitate the process. Some of the torture witnesses need finances to come to the station which the police does not have at the moment,” Ochom said.

Parliamentary committee member Francis Mwijukye, Buhweju County MP contested the figures presented in the police report in regard to the number of human rights violation cases reported at the police stations.

“Whereas the police in their report have reported only six cases, the Uganda Human Rights Commission presented more cases than that. Can the police explain the difference? Maybe the victims are scared to report the cases to police because they are the perpetuators,” he said.

The police report said 200 cases have been referred to the Inspector General of Police for compensation.

“The total amount for compensation stands at shs8.3 billion of which shs588 million has been settled,” the report partly reads.

A month ago, government announced that 90 victims of human rights violations are to receive shs10b from the government of Uganda, thereby raising the hopes of hundreds of other who claim their rights have been abused and have been seemingly waiting in vain for compensation for years.

In July 2020, Solicitor General Francis Atoke told Parliament that the Government was indebted to the tune of shs43b in court awards and compensations for wrongs committed by other government departments. A large portion of these awards and compensations are owed to victims of human rights abuses.

In a recent notice issued by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the said victims, whose payments have been cleared for payment by the Attorney General (AG), were required to submit their bank details to the senior accountant, Yvonne Kabyanga, within 14 days of the government’s announcement.

Other documents required towards the fulfillment of their compensation are the claimant’s national identity card, tax identification number and physical address.

The notice added that the said compensation of the victims who will fail to beat the 14-day deadline will be deferred and will not attract any interest.

“The Attorney General has received funds and verified the named beneficiaries for payment in relation to human rights court awards for this quarter. The persons who have been named on the list are requested to submit their personal and bank details to the senior accountant, Yvonne Kabyanga, within 14 days. Otherwise, their payments will be deferred and it will not attract more interest,” the notice reads in part.

The claimants had been strictly advised that the processing of their compensation is free of charge and so they must not pay any public official for processing the same.