Kampala, Uganda: Judicial officers in Uganda have been urged to play a stronger role in tackling medicine theft, a vice that continues to rob patients of life-saving treatment and erode trust in the country’s health system.
Retired judicial official Thomas Elungat emphasized that courts are central in ensuring accountability once police and oversight agencies complete investigations. “Patients are denied treatment. Trust in public health collapses. The system is weakened,” Elungat told reporters.
“It is the role of the judiciary to ensure that those who abuse the system face consequences that reflect the gravity of the offense.”
Despite being clearly marked “Government of Uganda – Not for Sale,” government-supplied drugs continue to surface in private pharmacies and even across borders. Oversight agencies, including the National Medical Stores and the State House Health Monitoring Unit, have conducted numerous raids and arrests. But critics argue that weak prosecutions and lenient sentencing have blunted these efforts.
Uganda’s Penal Code criminalizes theft, while the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009 provides stiff penalties for public officers who abuse their office, ranging from imprisonment to disqualification from service. However, many cases are either dismissed or delayed, discouraging whistleblowers from stepping forward.
Lawyer Rita Ashemeza noted that judicial officers can strengthen prosecutions by guiding investigators on evidence requirements. “In complex cases involving syndicates, courts can allow longer investigations while ensuring suspects are handled lawfully,” she explained.
Activists have also urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to assign specialized prosecutors to medicine theft cases, citing the organized nature of the crime.
Elungat insisted that sentencing must match the severity of offenses. “While restitution or community service may be suitable for small infractions, organized theft requires tougher punishment. Theft of medicines is not just a financial crime; it is stealing from the sick, and the justice system must make clear it will not be tolerated.”
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