KAMPALA: Judicial officers in Uganda are being urged to play a stronger role in addressing medicine theft, a crime officials say deprives patients of life-saving treatment and erodes confidence in the country’s health system.
Retired judicial official Thomas Elungat said the judiciary is central in ensuring accountability once police and oversight agencies conclude 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.”
Government-supplied drugs, labeled “Government of Uganda – Not for Sale,” continue to appear in private pharmacies and even across borders. Oversight agencies, including the National Medical Stores and the State House Health Monitoring Unit, have conducted raids and arrests. But observers say weak prosecutions and lenient sentencing undercut those efforts.
Uganda’s Penal Code criminalizes theft, while the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009 punishes public officers who abuse their office.
Penalties range from imprisonment to disqualification from office. But critics say many cases are dismissed or delayed, discouraging whistleblowers from stepping forward.
Lawyer Rita Ashemeza argued that judicial officers can help 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 said.
Activists have called on the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to assign specialized prosecutors to medicine theft cases.
Elungat said firm sentencing is crucial. 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,” he said. “It is stealing from the sick, and the justice system must make clear it will not be tolerated.”
