The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has commended partners in the Justice Law and Order Sector for their tremendous efforts especially in reducing cases of child sacrifice in the country.
On addressing the gathering at Hope International Conference in Kampala, Tayebwa noted that although cases of child trafficking are on increase, the concerned stakeholders have and still playing their role to ensure that they curb this vice.
“I applaud the judiciary, you have been key in addressing these cases being that you’re uncompromised. The convictions have been successful because of the evidence produced by Police and the office of Director of Public Prosecution,” he said.
Tayebwa added that Child sacrifice is not an issue of poverty but its an issue of backwardness, permittivity, barbaric behaviors because there is no way you can get rich after sacrificing some body.
“People involved in this crime (Child sacrifice) are every rich people with millions of money which can facilitate the process and they think that they can bribe the system.We need a new approach to this ,we need to tackle it from a different paspective.”
The Deputy Speaker further advised people to always obtain wealth through clean means because they may be lose whatever they have achieved once they are caught and convicted of Child sacrifice.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo described Human Sacrifice and Child trafficking as one of the most pressing issues which need to be addressed as soon as possible.
“Under the law the definition of Child sacrifice is very wide which enables us to deal with the perpetrators from all angles. We don’t need them to walk free but to reduce on the impunity.”
Abodo said that they always receive police files that they use to prosecute the offenders as mandated by law , however its through partnership with other stakeholders like Human Trafficking Institute and Kyampisi that they can be able to create awareness about human sacrifice cases to the public.
She further expressed the need to put in place counseling and other programs for prosecutors to heal from terrifying experience they get after handling human scrifice cases. “We need to detox abit after hearing the worst experience, we may show that we are brave but with these cases have effects on our mind.”
Justice ( High court judge ) John Eudes Keitirima on behalf of the Judiciary revealed that they have introduced several Innovations to ensure that children freely give testimony in courts of law.
“With Audio Visual technology, Children can testify from wherever they are without physically appearing in court which reduces on chances of meeting their tormentors. They seat close to their relatives so that they can be able to understand the questions asked to them.”
Kabahend Flavia, the Chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Gender Labour and Social Development, expressed the need to operationalize the National Children Authority so as to be in position to address issues affecting the young people
Mondo Kyateeka, the commissioner in charge of youth and Children in Ministry of Gender , Labour and Social Development , warned parents against introducing their children to a wide range of people commonly referred to as “Uncles” that most of these are not good people and so they may end up hurting the innocent souls.
