Joseph’s early life was punctuated by the chaos of the 1985 Ugandan Resistance war, a brutal conflict that saw his family displaced and scattered. Amidst the chaos and destruction, his spirit refused to break. The kindness of his aunt, who took him under her wing, gave him stability and the foundation he needed for the remarkable journey that was ahead. The injustices and violence he saw his family experience fueled a relentless drive in him and became his motivation toward a life pursuing justice.
After graduating from Makerere University, Uganda’s largest university and the oldest active university in East Africa, Joseph embarked on a legal career dedicated to serving those on society’s margins. His work with the Uganda Law Society as a legal assistant provided a platform for him to champion the rights of the oppressed, laying the groundwork for a lifelong pursuit of justice in criminal law.
In 2010, Joseph began his career as a prosecutor in his home country, fulfilling his dream of being able to prevent injustices like what he had endured and witnessed as a child. In his role with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), his dedication and legal acumen quickly set him apart. Yet it wasn’t until meeting the Human Trafficking Institute in 2017 that his path took a significant turn. Joseph was introduced to the grim realities of human trafficking – children being lied to about school and then sold for sex, or laborers forced to work under the coercive and brutal control of their trafficker.
But he wasn’t just introduced to the problem, he was given the solutions, and armed with the tools, tactics, expertise and resources to relentlessly fight it.
HTI’s comprehensive support—from investigative techniques to how a victim should be cared for— has drastically enhanced Joseph’s prosecutorial capacity. The tools and insights provided by HTI, including prosecution training and the development of database systems, have been crucial in this regard, offering a comprehensive approach to tackling human trafficking cases. When asked how he as a prosecutor has benefitted from his partnership with the Human Trafficking Institute, Joseph said:
“Wow, I can say I have benefited massively. [Before encountering HTI] I didn’t know about this offense called human trafficking …. [HTI] has played a fundamental role in enhancing my capacity as a prosecutor. My training has been rigorous, enhancing my awareness and understanding of the complexities surrounding this issue. I have all the materials that I need for investigating a human trafficking case, from the first day the case is reported, to the last day I close my case, to the sentencing of the accused, then to the caring of the victim after prosecution. I can say that I am ten times the prosecutor I was before I encountered the Human Trafficking Institute.”
In 1985 Joseph was fleeing war, surrounded by injustice, but resolved to someday fight against it. When Joseph first met HTI in 2017, it was the first time he had ever met someone who had prosecuted a human trafficking case. Last year Joseph was promoted to the head of the anti-trafficking unit within the Department of Public Prosecutions for the entire country of Uganda!
Joseph’s leadership in the anti-trafficking division is not just about legal victories; it is about restoring dignity to survivors and ensuring justice is served.
Joseph loves being a prosecutor and does not see himself doing anything else for the rest of his life. He told us, “the moment I take a case file to court, I am fully confident that I have evidence that is sufficient to sustain a conviction. So, whenever I sustain the conviction, I feel I have served justice. I feel I have satisfied my desire for a crime-free society.”
Joseph is one of over 1,500 police and prosecutors that HTI has the privilege of supporting throughout Uganda.