An inmate from Kangulumira Prison in Kayunga District has died after jumping into the River Nile in a suspected attempt to escape.
By press time, fishermen from Kangulumira Sub-county had mounted a search for the body of Hamza Maluwa, 30, a convict serving an eight-month jail term for theft, who took advantage of a seemingly free space where he had been deployed for fieldwork.
Eyewitnesses said Maluwa and 14 other inmates were on Tuesday afternoon taken by the prison authorities to ferry timbers from the banks of River Nile at Kalagala Village to the flat ground.
A source who asked not to be named said the inmates had been engaged at the river bank for over two weeks.
“While the inmates carried out the work under the scorching afternoon sun under the watch of three armed prison warders, Maluwa, who had carried the timber to the flat ground, went back to the river bank and jumped into the river. The warders scampered as they tried to stop the fleeing inmate and at the same time keep guard of the others (inmates).” The source said.
Explaining that: “At first the warder who was standing guard near the river thought he wanted to cool himself and asked him to get out of the water quickly, only to realise that the inmate was trying to escape,” the male source narrated.
It is said that in an attempt to scare the fleeing inmate, one of the warders shot in the air, but the inmate simply maintained his way. It remains unclear whether he was hit by the bullets.
He had served six months of the sentence and was to be released in October this year.
A source at Kangulumira Prison said they tried to search for the inmate in the water route where he drowned but failed to get him and only saw blood.
‘We are not yet sure if he is dead or if he swam across the water and escaped another source at Kangulumira Prison told this reporter.
At the spot where the convict is alleged to have drowned, relatives of the inmate sat in groups as the local fishermen divers searched for the body in the river.
A sombre mood engulfed the area as relatives demanded an explanation of the circumstances under which their relative died.
Ms Petu Nekesa, the convict’s mother, criticised prison authorities for subjecting inmates to hard labour on empty stomachs, noting that it could be a reason he escaped and drowned.
“I am demanding justice for my son. He was indeed a prisoner, but this doesn’t mean he should be mistreated and shot dead,” Ms Nekesa said before pointing at a 12-year-old boy whom he said was the “deceased’s only child he had left behind.
“They have killed my son now; who is going to take care of his child?” the mother queried.
At the same venue, angry youths vowed not to allow police to take the body for postmortem in case it is recovered.
“They are not helping us to search for the body. We shall not allow them to take the body,” a youth said angrily.
They vowed not to leave the area until the body is recovered.
Mr Frank Baine, the prisons spokesperson, said he had not yet received a report on the incident. “I am going to inquire from the Regional Prisons Commander Mr Baine said.