How community service changed life of convict

Ten years ago, Julius Odaga, 64, a resident of Yao Okecha Cell in Nebbi Municipality, was sentenced to community service at Nebbi Prison.

In 2013, Odaga was found guilty of assaulting his close friend. The two used to share drinks but they later had a quarrel over a commission of Shs20,000 from the sale of bricks.

This is when the assault happened. He was arrested and later taken to court where he was sentenced to three months community service by the Nebbi Chief Magistrate’s Court.

While Odaga was serving the sentence, luck came his way and he was granted a job as head cleaner at the same court.

He is paid Shs160,000 per month and supervises other convicts on community service within the court.
 “Since 2013, two of my six children managed to complete Senior Four and I am able to do a weekly saving of Shs10,000. I have learnt lessons from this sentence,” he said during an interview with this publication on Tuesday. 

Odaga added that before he became a cleaner at the court, his family lived miserable lives and could only afford one meal a day.

Currently, he said he is able to feed his family and pay school fees for his children. Through the savings and loan from  a Sacco he joined, he bought a motorcycle which he uses to generate money through boda boda business. 

Odaga is now moving in communities sensitising people on how prison life has changed his life.
 On Monday, the National Community Service Committee in the Ministry of Internal Affairs led by Justice Asiimwe Tadeo recommended the court to grant first crime offenders community service.

“Community service is meant for good people and first time offenders. It is a way to create a diversion mechanism because when minors grow up, they graduate to hardcore criminals. So, in community service, they can learn and transform their lives,” Justice Asiimwe said.

According to authorities, offering community service to minor offenders will decongest the prison since the institution is getting overwhelmed with more inmates with minor offences over staying on remand.

Mr Aloysius Olama, Odaga’s close friend, said: “I used to visit him when he was in prison and also while doing his community service. He liked the work because it kept him busy. I think he did that act under the influence of alcohol. He was truthful and pleaded guilty. I look at him as a role model.”

Ms Hellen Oyeki, Odaga’s neighbour, said he is a reformed man, who always keeps advising the community members to be violence-free. 

“Since then, he has always intervened in families that are having conflicts. He always gives his example. We look at him as a role model to families,” she said.

Similarly, his relative, Mr Ronald Ngageno, said they always advised him not to repeat the crime and desist from any wrong acts. 

“Court is not the last resort in handling cases but being faithful and forgiving. We are happy that the Judiciary has employed him because he can now earn a better living,”  Mr Ngageno said.

Mr David Olegmungu, who was assaulted by Odaga, said he has forgiven him.
 “I don’t have any bad feelings towards  him. I need to maintain our close relationship as we used to have before we fell out. We have continued to talk and share ideas with each other. And we have forgotten the past and still live in friendship,” Mr Olegmungu said.

Ms Agnes Ongiera, one of the inmates,  said people need to be sensitised on the issue of community service.

The Nebbi Chief Magistrate, Mr Cyrus Ssenoga, said: “We need to empower offenders through gaining useful skills that they can put to use in the future to help them develop economically.”

The officer-in-charge of Nebbi Prison, Mr Earnest Turyomurugyendo, said the facility is congested.