The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Mariam Wangadya, has raised alarm over the increasing number of fabricated complaints and falsified medical reports being presented before the Commission’s tribunals across the country.
Wangadya said that almost half of all complaints received by the Commission are tainted with falsified evidence, including fake medical documents, which complainants allegedly fabricate in attempts to fraudulently obtain compensation from the state.
Presiding over a tribunal hearing at the UHRC regional offices in Jinja on Thursday, Wangadya disclosed that the Commission handled nine cases during the sitting, five of which were presented for ruling and four for hearing. However, three of these were dismissed after it emerged that witnesses had given false testimony and tendered forged documents.
Wangadya observed that it has become increasingly common for individuals to lodge false complaints accompanied by forged evidence, hoping to deceive the Commission into awarding them damages. She attributed this vice partly to the free nature of filing complaints before UHRC and the allowances offered to complainants for transport, lodging, and meals.
Drawing from her experience as a former advocate, Wangadya noted that such behaviour is uncommon in the regular courts of law, where filing fees and strict preliminary procedures discourage the submission of baseless claims.
Wangadya further revealed that the rising trend of false claims has significantly contributed to UHRC’s case backlog, delaying justice for genuine victims of human rights violations.
She explained that many of the fraudulent cases target police officers, often arising from retaliatory motives. According to Wangadya, after suspects are arrested following complaints filed at police stations, some of them, misled by unscrupulous advisers, turn to UHRC to file fabricated torture allegations.
Wangadya added that in other cases, members of the public deliberately provoke police personnel, including pelting them with stones, and later claim to be victims of torture when police act in self-defence.
She stressed that it is improper and unjust for individuals who instigate violence against police officers to later portray themselves as victims of abuse. Wangadya also decried the growing problem of falsified medical documents, noting that some medical practitioners issue fake reports to support fabricated torture claims. She said such doctors often ignore summonses to appear before the Commission for scrutiny.
Although UHRC has been hesitant to prosecute the implicated doctors, out of concern that doing so could discourage genuine practitioners from testifying on behalf of real victims, Wangadya described the situation as appalling and harmful to the administration of justice.
She noted that UHRC’s team of experts remains committed to detecting fraudulent documents during tribunal proceedings and ensuring accountability for those involved in falsification.
Wangadya further revealed that the Commission has resolved to dismiss all proven fake cases with costs, ensuring that perpetrators bear the financial burden of their deceitful actions. She said this decision is intended to serve as a strong deterrent against individuals seeking to exploit the Commission’s processes for personal gain.
Wangadya reaffirmed that while UHRC remains open and accessible to all Ugandans seeking justice, it will not hesitate to expose and penalise those who undermine the Commission’s integrity through deception and forgery.
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