By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali, Communication and Media Relations Officer
A total of 538 people convicted of minor offences in Kampala have been sentenced to one month of community service, with at least 150 already deployed to clean markets, schools and other public spaces across the city.
The convicts, who were sentenced on Monday, and had been held at Luzira Prison, will undertake unpaid cleaning and sanitation work in assignments coordinated by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) across the city’s five divisions.
Their offences ranged from public nuisance, illegal trading and operating businesses without licences to drunkenness, staging unlawful roadblocks and disturbing public peace. Others were convicted of fighting, smoking opium and attempting to steal from pedestrians.
His Worship Edgar Karakire, a Senior Magistrate at City Hall Court, said community service was an appropriate sentence, particularly for first-time offenders who had shown remorse and expressed willingness to reform.
The court considered the nature of the offences and the offenders’ eligibility for non-custodial sentences. Some cases were also resolved through plea-bargaining arrangements.
Each convict was sentenced to one month of unpaid public work and issued with an introductory letter and monitoring forms to present to KCCA. The Authority will coordinate their assignments and monitor their performance to ensure compliance with the court orders.
The offences included trading without a licence, contrary to Section 7(1) and (3) of the Trading Licensing Act, Cap 79, and disturbing public peace under Section 7(c) of the Kampala City Council Maintenance of Law and Order Ordinance.
Community service is a non-custodial punishment under which convicted offenders perform unpaid work for the benefit of society instead of serving a prison sentence. It generally applies to offences carrying a maximum prison sentence of two years or less.
The approach is intended to promote rehabilitation and accountability while reducing the number of people held in prison for minor offences.
KCCA and the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Department of Community Service, will jointly supervise the programme, ensuring the offenders complete their assigned duties and meet the conditions of their sentences.
The initiative will also provide additional support to the city’s sanitation efforts, with markets, schools and other community facilities expected to benefit from the cleaning activities-KCCA. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
