The panel, chaired by tribunal chairperson Mariam Wangadya (C), on November 6, 2025, set out to hear a total of nine complaints and has already awarded a total of shillings 18.1 million in compensation to victims of human rights violations.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) Tribunal, sitting at the Jinja Regional Office, has commenced hearing cases of human rights violations that arose within the Busoga and Bukedi Sub-regions. 

The panel, chaired by tribunal chairperson Mariam Wangadya, on November 6, 2025, set out to hear a total of nine complaints and has already awarded a total of shillings 18.1 million in compensation to victims of human rights violations.

The other members of the panel are commissioners: Shifrah Lukwago, Jacklet Atuhaire Rwabukurukuru and Simeo Muwanga Nsubuga.

The complaints mainly relate to the alleged violation of the right to personal liberty and the right to freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. 

The Tribunal has delivered five decisions out of the nine complaints, awarding damages in two of the decisions.

In one of the decisions, the Tribunal awarded shillings 10 million to Bakaki Yusuf, 47, a peasant of Tse-Tse Cell, Ikulwe Ward, Mayuge town council in Mayuge district, as compensation for the violation of his right to personal liberty. 

Bakaki alleged that in 2018, two Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) officers of Mayuge Police Station accused him of “spreading rumours that the then RDC and some Police officers were selling guns and Police uniform to civilians”. 

They detained him at Mayuge Police Station from February 8-23, 2018. 

The Tribunal, according to a statement released on Thursday, found that Bakaki’s arrest and detention were not premised on any reasonable suspicion that he had committed any crime.

“It was simply malicious, vindictive and punitive,” reads the decision. 

The Tribunal also awarded shillings 8.1 million to Rwecungura Paul, 56, a peasant of Magamaga, Buwenge, Kagoma in Jinja District, as compensation for violation of his right to protection from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, and violation of his right to personal liberty. 

Rwecungura was arrested and detained at Buwenge Police Station from December 11 to 20, 2013, when he had gone to report the mysterious death and disappearance of cattle under his care.

During his detention, Rwecungura alleged that he was severely beaten by Police officers to compel him to confess to having stolen the cattle and reveal where they were.

The Tribunal held that Rwecungura’s rights were indeed violated and that he is entitled to compensation.

While speaking to the media, Rwecungura thanked the UHRC for investigating his matter and for its good work. He informed the media that ever since he lodged a complaint with the Commission, there have been no cases of torture by the Police
at Buwenge Police Station.

The Chairperson, while addressing the media, cautioned Ugandans against filing false complaints with the Commission. This was after the Tribunal dismissed some complaints with costs on the grounds of containing falsehoods.

Other recent awards

UHRC also recently awarded shillings 115 million in damages to victims of human rights violations in Gulu district.

The tribunal directed that the compensation will be incurred by the Uganda Prisons and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces.

One of the decisions delivered by commissioner Jacklet Rwabukurukuru Atuhaire on behalf of the panel arose on October 13, 2003 when Pte. Ocii Okello shot dead Grace Apio, Agnes Atuku and injured Doris Adong, who was then 14 years old.

Apio’s brother Lawrence Opio filed a complaint to the Commission seeking to hold the government vicariously liable for violating the sister’s right to life while Adong filed her complaint for violation of her rights and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.

The Commission heard that the soldier first attempted to kill Apio on October 11, 2003, but he was arrested. He then returned on October 14, the same year, and killed her along with Atuku.

“On October 14, 2003, Okello ordered us out. He then shot Apio who ran and fell at a neighbour’s place. He returned to me and I ran. He fired a bullet at the back of my head,” Adong narrated. The Commission believed in her statement as a witness to the murder.

According to the tribunal members, whatever Adongo stated is what she recorded in her statement on March 22, 2005. 

Subsequently, the tribunal awarded 70 million to Opio for violation of his sister’s right to life and 20 million to Adong.

The tribunal also awarded 25 million to Moses Mogi, who was beaten repeatedly by prison officials at three different prisons – Pece Local Goverment Prison, Central Government Prison Gulu and Loro Prison Farm.

The tribunal noted that Mogi suffered extreme physical pain and mental agony at the hands of the prison officers when he was subjected to prison work and denied medical treatment.