4/15/2015

IamthehangmanofLuziraPrisons

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IamthehangmanofLuziraPrisons
ByPetrideMudoola

Tohearthatsomeonehasbeensentencedtodeathisdisturbing,sonaturallyonewonderswhatgoesoninthemindofthepersonwhoactuallyexecutesthedeathsentence.

Toanswerthisquestion,Isetouttofindthehangman.Afterweeksofmakingcontactthroughagobetween,Ifinallyconvincedhimtomeetme.

Hedoesnotwanthisidentitydisclosed,soweshallcallhimMichael.

Tall,darkskinnedandbearded,Michaelsphysiqueisimposing,butasyouinteractwithhim,hestrikesyouasaregulargentlemanwhowouldneverkillanyone.

Thisisprobablywhymostpeoplewhoknowhimhavenoideawhathedoesforaliving.

PeoplemayhaveanegativeattitudeiftheygettoknowwhatIdo.Nobodywantstobefriendswithahangman,hesays.

Butinthegallows,the55yearoldexecuteshisdutieswithutmostprecision.

Withover100executionsinhiscareer,the55yearoldsayshehasmasteredtheartofkillingwithoutcausingpain.

HetrainedinChina.

ApersonIhangneverkicksaroundwhiledying.Hediesimmediatelywithalmostnodiscomfort.Theartliesinhowyoutietheknotthatcrushestheneck.

Noteverybodycandothat,heexplains.

Heconfessesthatendingsomeoneslifeisnotalaughingmatter.Hismosttraumatizingexecutionwaswhenhehangedtwobrotherswhowereconvictedofmurder.

Ittakesexceptionalcouragetowalkaninmatetothedeathchambers.Once,anaggressiveinmatehitmehard.Ifitwerenotforthecuffsplacedonhishandsandlegs,hewouldhavekilledme,
herecalls.
Whenitistime

Often,theexecutionerwillknowaboutthetasktobeperformedamonthinadvance.Beforeexplainingtheprocedure,MichaelwarnedmethatwhatIwasabouttohearmightbedisturbing,butI
insistedonhearingitallthesame.

Hebeganbyexplainingthatnormally,thedeathrowinmatewillknowabouthisfatewhenheishandcuffedandtakenoutofhiscellwithfullescorttomeettheOfficerinCharge(OC).

Thefamilywillhavebeeninvitedtomeethimandpraywithhimforthelasttime.ThismeetingtakesplaceintheOCsoffice.

Theconvictisgivenanopportunitytochoosehislastmeal,whichisthenpreparedandservedtohimbeforeexecution.

Professional

Theexecutionteamthenheadstothedeathchambers.Theyspendsometimegettingthefacilitiesreadybecausethereisnoroomforerror.

AccordingtoMicheal,thehangingiscarriedoutwhenallpartiesthatincludetheOCofthecondemnedsection,theclergyandtheprisonsdirectorofmedicalservicesarecontentedwiththe
inmateshealthontheappointedday.

Hesayspriortoexecution,theprisonersneckandbodymeasurementsaretakenbecausetheropesneedtobeoftherightstrengthandthedropneedstobeworkedoutinrelationtothe
individualsweightandheight.

Inthedeathchamber,theprisonermaystandorbeseatedonadeathchairdependingonwhetherheiscooperativeoraggressive.

Thelegsandhandsaretiedandablackhoodplacedovertheheadsothattheprisonerdoesnotseetheexecutionteam.

Anooseisthenplacedaroundhisneck,afterwhich,uponaprisonswarderscommand,thehangmanpressesabuttonandamachinepullstheropestosqueezetheprisonersneck.

Thealternativeistoreleasetheprisonerthroughaholesothathisownweightpullstheropeandsqueezestheneck.

Eitherway,deathiseitherbroughtaboutbydamagetothespinalcordorbysuffocationcausedbyconstrictionofthetrachea,heexplains.

Headdsthataftertheprisonersbodydrops,theofficers,priestsandmedicalpersonnelproceedtothebottomofthegallowstocertifythedeath.

WhentherearemistakesMichealsaysintheeventthattheprisonerisnotdead,theyarehithardatthebackoftheheadwithahammeroracrowbar.

Thebodyisthenquicklyplacedinacoffin,sprayedwithacidandburiedinanunmarkedgravewithintheprisoncemetery.

Itisthisprocessthathumanrightsactivistsareopposedto.

Forthelast12years,onOctober10ofeveryyear,theyhavecommemoratedWorldDayAgainsttheDeathPenalty.
Asaresultofthecampaign,139countries,including13inAfrica,haveabolishedthedeathpenalty.

ThedeathsentenceinUgandaUgandastillretainsthedeathpenaltyalthoughnoexecutionhasbeencarriedoutsince1999,whenHajiMustaphaSebirumbiwassenttothegallows.

Foranexecutiontobecarriedout,thePresidenthastosignawarrantfirst.

Presently,Ugandasprisonsaccommodate393inmatesondeathrow.
Ofthese,357aremalewhile36arefemale.

CommissionerGeneralsstandonthedeathpenalty

Dr.JohnsonByabashaija,theCommissionerGeneralofPrisons,hasfrequentlyexpressedhisstandagainstthedeathsentencebecauseheisoftheviewthatitiscruel,inhumananddegrading.

Deathissomethingwhicheveryoneofuswillmeetsobyexecutingaperson,youwillhavenotpunishedthem,Byabashaijaargues.

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HeaddsthatthemainobjectiveofUgandaPrisonServicesistocorrectoffenders,yetexecutiondoesnotcorrectlawbreakers.

Andithasnotbeenprovedthatthedeathpenaltydeterspeoplefromcontinuingtocommitthosecrimes,hesays.

He,however,sayssincethelawstillprovidesforthedeathpenalty,andjudgeshavecontinuedtosentencepeopletodeath.

Theprisonsauthoritieswouldhavenochoicebuttohangaprisonerifanordercomesthrough.

Thehangingfacilitiesarestillingoodworkingcondition.Theexecutionerandhistwoassistantsarestillonthepayroll.

Weperformthedutyasdirectedbyoursuperiors,Byabashaijasays.

RecallingSaddamHussein,ByabashaijasayssomeinmatesondeathrowatLuziraspentuptothreedayswithouteatingwhentheywatchedtheformerIraqileadersexecutionontelevision.

Askedaboutthecriteriafollowedwhilerecruitinghangmen,ByabashaijasaysUgandaPrisonServicesadvertisesfortheposts.

Thelastrecruitmentwasinthelate1980s.

EdwardMpagiwasondeathrowfor18yearsforacrimehedidnotcommit.Mpagiisagoodexampleofhow
wrongthedeathpenaltycanbe

Wardersexperience

Awarderwhowasonceinchargeofthecondemnedsection,sayshewatchedoneprisonerbeingexecutedinLuziraandcouldnotsleepfortwodays.

Hesaysover20years,hestillgetsnightmares.

TheimagesofthatexecutionhauntmetodateandIamnowconvincedthattheyshallhauntme

Innocent

Thewardersayshefeltbadeverytimeaninmatewasexecuted.Yet,someprisonersaresentencedtodeathfornocrime.

AcaseinpointisEdwardMpagi,60,whowasdeclaredguiltyofmurderandsentencedtodeathin1982,thenthepersonhesupposedlykilledreappearedyearslater.

Hespent18yearsondeathrowbeforehewasreleased,bywhichtimehispropertyhadbeensnatchedbyhisenemies.

Duringthisperiod,52ofhiswardmateswereexecuted,ofteninbatchesof10.

Eachtime,theprisonerswouldcryastheywerebeingtakenout.Amidsobs,somewouldsayIamgoing.IamgoingtomeetmyLord.

Thensomeoftheirremainingcolleagueswouldsob.Afterbeingwalkedoutoftheward,someoftheprisonerswouldsingreligioussongsastheywerebeingledtothegallows.

Thedeathchamberwasabovetheward,sotheremainingprisonerswouldhearthesoundoftheircolleaguesbodieswithathudduringexecution.

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IamthehangmanofLuziraPrisons

Finally,theywouldhearthesoundofnailsbeingknockedintocoffins.

Theywouldthengothroughdaysofgrief,notknowingwhoamongthemwouldbenext.

Inmatesondeathrowspeakout

AmosOlwenyhasbeeninthecondemnedsectionofLuzirasMaximumSecurityprisonfor28years.

Iandmyfellowdeathrowinmatesliveinconstantfearofimminentexecution,hesays.

Olwenysaysthoseondeathrowarekeptseparatedfromotherinmates,whichaddstotheiranxiety.

Thecondemnsectionisanextremelyintimidatingstructure.

Thewallsarehighandallaroundus.Theyarepaintedadull,harshwhitecolour.

Thelivingconditionsareextremelydepressing.Thelightsinthecellsareleftonthroughoutthenight,makingitdifficultforustosleepproperly.

Withtheovercrowdedcells,thereisbarelyenoughroomtomovearound,hesays.

Asdeathrowinmates,wedonotknowwhentheyarecomingforus.
Thepracticeofbeingleftinsuspenseaddstoourconstantfear,mentalanguishandtorture.

Forthatreasontheprisoneriskeptinadehumanisingenvironmentfromthemomentheentersthecells,Olwenyexplains.

WhyIamforthedeathpenalty
SamuelMusimenta,childrightsactivist

Thedeathpenaltyshouldberetainedbecauseitwilldeterthewouldbeperpetratorsofcrimesrelatedtomurder.Letitbeaneyeforaneye.

Forexample,whyshouldapersonwhoadmitstokillingachildforritualsacrificelive?

Suchpeopleshouldnotevenbekeptinprison,theyshouldbeexecutedthedaycourtfindsthemguilty.

KigulabeingcongratulatedbytheprinciplejudgeYorokamuBamwineandprisonsbossByabashaijjaonhergraduationday

BabraNassimbwaapaediatricsurgeon

Thedeathpenaltyshouldberetainedsothatserialkillerscanfacejustice.

Giventhenatureofthecrimes,theydonotdeservetolive.Infact,taxpayersmoneyshouldnotbewastedonfeedingprisoners,especiallythosesentencedtodeathbecausetheydonotaddany
valuetooureconomy.

WhyIamnotforthedeathpenalty

FrancisSuubitheexecutivedirectorWellsofHopeMinistries

Thedeathsentenceshouldbeabolishedbecausemanychildrenhaveendeduponthestreetsafterthebreadwinnerissentencedtodeath.

Whenaparentiscondemnedtodeath,hischildrensufferforacrimetheydidnotcommit.

Prisonerschildrenarerottinginvillagesandmajorityofthemarenotabletogotoschool.

MarthaNgabirano,ateacher

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Thedeathpenaltyshouldberemoved.

Evenifthemurderersactedagainstthelaw,noonehasarighttoterminateanotherpersonslife.

Vengeanceshouldnotbeours.Deathrowinmatesshouldbegivenasecondchanceinlifebecausepeoplearetakentoprisontoreform.Howthenwillanexecutedpersonreformifallyouwantto
doiskillthem?Whatisthepointofprisonbeingacorrectionalinstitution?

SusanKigulasremarkablestory

OnJuly9,2009,SusanKigulawasarrestedandremandedtoLuziraPrisonforkillingherhusbandDavidSseremba.

InSeptember2002,courtfoundherguiltyoftheoffenceandsentencedhertodeathbyhanging.

Ayoungwoman,whohadawholelifeaheadofher,dreamsunaccomplished,promiseswaitingtobefulfilledwassettodie.

Hangingapersonisnotadeterrentsinceeveryonedeservesasecondchancetolive.ThatiswhyIpetitionedagainstthedeathpenalty,saysKigula.

ThismovemadeSusantheleadingfigureinthelandmarkcase,SusanKigulaand417deathrowinmatesvs.AttorneyGeneral,inanattempttohavecapitalpunishmentdeclaredunconstitutional
andabolishedinUganda.

OnJanuary21,2009,theSupremeCourtofUgandareachedadecision,Susanandtheotherslost:thecourtsawnobasistooutlawthedeathpenalty.

Inaddition,itruledthatnosufficientevidencewasbroughttoshowthatbeinghangedcausedmorepainandsufferingtothepersonbeingexecutedthananyothermannerofexecution.

Whatcouldbemoredisappointingandtroublingforanyone?AlthoughSusanspetitionwasrefused,withitsprungseveralcourtrulingswhichwouldeventuallybecomeprecedentsinthe
criminallawsofUganda.

First,thecourtruledthatthedeathsentenceshouldnolongerbemandatorybecauseitwouldonlytiethehandsofthecourtandpreventitfromtakingintoconsiderationthespecificcircumstances
ofeachcase.

ItalsoruledthattheStatecannottorturecondemnedprisonersbykeepingthemondeathrowforyearstherefore,whereadeathpenaltycannotbeexecutedwithinthreeyears,itmustbe
commutedtolifeimprisonment.

Thus,Kigula,whohadspentnineyearsinprison,escapedthehangmansnooseandstartedanewlife.

InNovember2011,inaremarkableHighCourtsession,SusanKigulassentencewasreducedto20years.

Today,Kigulaholdsadiplomainlegalstudies,whichshedidthroughtheprisonseducationsystem.Shenowrunsalegalclinicforotherinmates.

Sincethesecourtrulingsin2009,anumberofprisonershavebeenreleasedandapproximately180deathsentenceshavebeenconvertedtolifesentences.

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