Prime
DPP launches standard procedures to investigate, prosecute trafficking cases
DPP Jane Frances Abodo
What you need to know:
- Justice Jane Frances Abodo reasoned that since the trafficking in persons cases is discreet and usually committed by highly organised criminal gangs, makes it hard to detect and investigate them, hence the launch of SOPs.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has launched investigating and prosecuting guidelines aimed at increasing the conviction rate of trafficking in persons cases.
Dubbed “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the DPP Justice Jane Frances Abodo reasoned that since the trafficking in persons cases is discreet and usually committed by highly organised criminal gangs, makes it hard to detect and investigate them, hence the launch of SOPs.
“The complex nature of trafficking in persons cases calls for sophisticated and systematic response,” DPP Abodo said Wednesday evening at her office.
She added: “One of the measures that we have taken to ensure effective and efficient prosecution of trafficking in persons cases is enhanced coordination and cooperation with the multiple stakeholders including but not limited to the Uganda Police Force, Non-Governmental Organisations, International Organisations, and various government agencies,”
According to the chief government prosecutor, the SOPs will provide a clear framework on how to investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons cases consistently, the provide a clear legal framework that guides law enforcement officers on how to handle human trafficking cases, and SOPs allow standardisation procedures that allow data collection regarding human trafficking cases.
Some of the key of key components of the SOPs include; defining the offense of trafficking in persons, from both the domestic and international perspective, they develop guidelines for identifying potential victims of human trafficking including indicators that the law enforcement officers should look out for during investigations.
Others are; guides on how to build strong cases including evidence collection methods, witness protection measures and legal strategies, creating strategies for raising public awareness about human trafficking, and also calling upon the members of the public to participate in the fight.
Human trafficking is a global problem that we are grappling with. Everyone is a potential victim of human trafficking but women, children, and the youths have been the most affected people in Uganda. It is a gross violation of human rights and a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies worth side including Uganda.
