“This judgment risks legitimizing Uganda’s well-documented record of torture instead of eradicating it,” Asiimwe said, adding that the ruling prioritized the completion of criminal trials over the absolute prohibition of torture.
The DNA testing process was conducted by government forensic experts and overseen by Minister Balaam Barugahara. Also present during the release of the results were the Police Forensic Directorate and the Government Analytical Laboratory, including Director Andrew Mubiru and Kepher Kuchana Kateu.
The Uganda Police Force confirmed on August 18, 2024, that at least 35 people were reported dead, with over 28 still missing. The search is still taking place at the Kiteezi landfill collapse in Wakiso district.