The Rubanda District Resident Commissioner (RDC), Eric Ssewandiga, has called for urgent improvements in the infrastructure of security stations and the establishment of a dedicated Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) within the district. His remarks come in the wake of a major security breach in which 14 prisoners escaped from Rubanda Prison on Sunday evening.
The prisoners reportedly exploited a structural weakness in the prison, removing bricks from a cracked wall to facilitate their escape. Police are currently conducting a manhunt for the escapees, with two individuals already re-arrested, according to Elly Maate, the Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson.
In his address, RDC Sewandiga attributed the jailbreak to delays in processing case files at the Kabale State Attorney’s Office, which serves the districts of Kabale, Rubanda, and Rukiga. He argued that the prolonged detention of suspects awaiting trial, combined with substandard infrastructure, creates vulnerabilities that threaten security.
“This escape underscores the urgent need for better infrastructure in our security facilities and the establishment of a DPP office in Rubanda District. We cannot effectively secure prisoners if their cases are delayed or our stations are physically compromised,” Sewandiga stated.
Elly Maate confirmed ongoing investigations into the escape and cautioned that any security personnel found to have played a role in the incident would face disciplinary action.
The RDC appealed to the government to address these pressing issues, emphasizing that enhancing prison security and expediting judicial processes are critical to maintaining law and order in the district.
The incident has sparked renewed discussions about resource allocation and infrastructure development for security institutions in Uganda’s rural districts.
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