229 prisoners crowd Patongo Main Prison with majority on remand

14 June 2025, 7:23 AM

By Freeman Canogura

Patongo Main Prison is currently housing 229 inmates, a number prison authorities describe as overwhelming. Of these, only 66 are convicts serving time, while 163 remain on remand awaiting trial.

The Officer-in-Charge of Patongo Main Prison, PO Julius Oluka, said the facility is overstretched beyond its intended capacity. He pointed out that the high remand population was largely due to delayed court sessions and limited legal representation for suspects.

He called for urgent measures to decongest the prison, including speeding up court proceedings and increasing access to legal aid for accused persons.

Harriet Otto, an advocate with the Ms Harriet Otto Company Advocates, said the situation violates the rights of suspects who are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

She stressed that keeping people on remand for extended periods without trial creates psychological and social distress.

The establishment of Patongo High Court is expected to help reduce the backlog, but prison authorities warn that unless remand durations are addressed, overcrowding will persist.