SSP John Wyllile Scotland Police Expert is training African Police on Crime Gender Based Violance and Domestic Violance, he was addressing Northern Uganda Media Club at UN Human Rights Women about their training
PHOTO BY Okumu Langol
Scotland Police is training Uganda Police on gender based violence and domestic violence.
GULU-UGANDA: For the last one year, UN Human Rights Women has embarked on training Uganda Police Forces on Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violance, to redeem the image of failed Uganda paramilitary police to cope up with their cordial roles in handling crime scenes.
SSP John Wyllile, who is an expert and head of International Development and Investigation at Scotland Police, says so far they have trained 25 Ugandan Criminal Detectives in Gulu on investigation and responses to gender based violence, managing crimes scene and forensic investigations.
“We have been training police in many countries like Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia supported by Scotland police and United Kingdom government. Giving free support and mentoring them.” SSP Wyllile said.
He adds that the training programs is based on global citizenship, their primary mission is to keep people safe. “For us we work in protecting people, everything else is secondary.” SSP Wyllile echoed.
He argues that they opt to discuss with their counterpart Uganda Police with hope that the experience sharing may help Uganda police to deal with people vulnerable to gender based violence, beyond the first responses in the scene of crimes or investigating victims’ witnesses and the suspect
He stressed that their finding is that Uganda Police investigators always do not cooperate with witnesses and often tempers with crime scenes.
“You have to be friendly to witnesses, and sometimes suspect are not followed when they report cases to police, this lead to lose of cases.” John Wyllile said
When asked by Nation Television reporter if he is aware that Uganda police have poorly facilitated to effect investigations.
Wyllile was questioned by Nations Television reporter if he is aware that Uganda Police Detectives are poorly facilitated for investigations.
SSP Wyllile says he cannot answer that question because he has just been in the country for only two day period.
‘’You are asking that question for assessment, to an investigator, that cannot be, they would see if that can be handle to have the agreement with the people who they are working with to focus on good help, the desire of investigations. However, they are focusing on about mind set, but not resources, but investigators mind set, he argued.
Mr. Stephen Balmoi, a Community and Public Relations communicator for the UN Human Rights Women says that for the last two years their office have perused cases of gender base violence, and out of the 10 cases, 6 cases of gender violence were convicted, while four cases were settle between the victims and perpetrators.
He further more says that what motivated UN Human Rights to call on the Scotland police experts followed a murder of their fellow workmate by her husband.
“We used to have gender based violence which was civil and could be mediated, but since the murder of our colleague things have changed.”
Mr. Balmoi however, says the biggest problems currently which they are faced with, comes from cooperate women who are suffering in silence, because such women fears if they come out in the open their matter would be exposed. So they die in silence, some of them who turn up seeking for help while they bearing the marks of serious beating by their spouses, he noted
He blames the Acholi cultural norm on wives battering, saying the culture do allow perpetrators to live with their women.
There are three trained Psychologist who are handling counseling support to the affected domestic violence ladies, and also UN Human Right Women also works with Acholi Religious Leader Peace Initiative (ALRPI), Legal Aid of Uganda and Uganda Joint Christian Council to handle legal issues.
“For us we want people to believe whether you are chief, police officer or businesses man. You have to treat your wife well, we don’t mind whether there is no misunderstanding within husband and wife. But we do not like breaking hands or, multiple bruises and mistreatment in the families.” Balmoi Reiterated.
In conclusion, Balmoi says they also have mediation between criminal prisoners to have plea bargain, the organization which works with them offer transport to carry out community policing.
The big question still remain, is the Scotland police training African Police Forces in a new colonial rule again?E
