Three minors have been sentenced to six months in prison by the Nebbi district magistrate's court for stealing delivery mattresses from Kucwiny health center III.
The trio appeared before the Nebbi Chief Magistrate, Moses Ruganza on Tuesday who found them guilty.
The prosecution told the court that on January 17th, 2023, the trio broke into Kucwiny health center III and walked away with over eight delivery mattresses and an unspecified assortment of health equipment.
While delivering his verdict, Ruganza noted that the crime rates among minors are alarming. He called for a leadership forum and parents to play their roles and responsibilities in bringing down the crime rates in the communities.
“The court is overwhelmed with minors breaking into houses, stealing properties and they aren’t above the law and they have to be sent to remand homes so that the crimes they are committing can be minimized," said Ruganza.
Paul Thopachu, Kucwiny Health Center III Health Center Management Committee Chairperson, says that some of the stolen items have been recovered through the efforts of elders who mounted a search in the community neighboring the health facility.
He explains that the facility is not fenced, which makes it accessible to unauthorised persons. The minors will serve their jail term in Koch government prison in the Nebbi district.
