By Admin
Anti-Human Sacrifice Law cleared
The Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act of 2021 has been assented to by President Museveni to curb the practice of human sacrifice with a maximum sentence of death to perpetuators.
Former member of parliament for ayivu county Bernard Atiku who moved the bill in the 10th parliament notes that the new law will cure gaps in the Penal code act which was making it difficult for authorities to bring offenders to book.
On114th July President Yoweri Museveni assented to the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act of 2021 to become a law. Today the acting clerk to Parliament Henry Waiswa handed over the law to the Bernard Atiku the former MP of Ayivu County who moved the bill as a private member.
Human sacrifice offenses have been prosecuted as murder under the penal code act, but the mover found it not sufficient enough to deter the crime due to unique nature under which human sacrifice is committed. Atiku is hopeful that new law has addressed gaps in investigation, prosecution and sentencing of perpetuators of Child sacrifice which existed in the penal code act.
According to statistics by the parliamentary forum of children affairs, eight children are sacrificed every year. The Act has introduced a death sentence to anyone who commits an offense of child sacrifice.
Hon Atiku is convinced that the death penalty will go a long way to deter the would be offenders.
Possession of human body parts, blood and smuggling children to shrines is also a capital offense in the new law which will be punished by life imprisonment. The new law slaps tough penalties on persons who directly or indirectly facilitate or finance the process of child sacrifice.
Now that the law is in place, the mover has appealed to police, courts of law and the ministry of gender which houses the law to expedite its implementation.