Uganda government told to pay $6,700 over death in custody

A court in Uganda has ordered the government to pay $6,700 (£5,300) as compensation to Joyce Bikyahaga Namata, the mother of a man who was killed in police custody in 2007.

Ronald Bikyahaga died as a result of the severe beating and torture he received at Nabbingo Police Post after he was picked up at a film hall and dragged into the police cells, where he was found dead the following morning, the court judgement says.

Justice Musa Ssekaana said that the police force “was vicariously liable” adding that “the police officers deliberately and illegally tortured the deceased which is unconstitutional”.

It’s rare for a court to order the authorities to pay compensation, reports the BBC’s Catherine Byaruhanga in Kampala.

But there is a question mark over whether the government will pay up,

Compliance is a serious shortcoming on the government’s side, our reporter says.

An auditor general’s report for the year ending June 2018, indicates that government owes $176m in court awards.