The High Court, seated in Kitgum, has commenced the trial of 50 criminal cases, with a focus on murder and defilement. The month-long session, which began on Tuesday, will address 21 cases of murder, 20 cases of defilement, five cases of aggravated robbery, three cases of rape, and one case of treason.
Aisia Musooli, the deputy registrar of the court, announced that the session involves 41 adults and nine juveniles set to undergo trial. The proceedings started with a pre-session meeting attended by various justice actors and members of the public.
Justice Phillip Willebrord Mwaka, presiding over the session, called for cooperation from the public to ensure the success of the proceedings. Acknowledging the current case backlog at Kitgum High Court, he expressed commitment to reducing the backlog and urged other justice actors to collaborate.
Highlighting the issue of prison congestion, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera mentioned the Judiciary’s efforts to address the problem. He emphasized the importance of encouraging suspects to explore measures like plea bargaining, which could contribute to reducing backlog and easing prison congestion.
Deputy Chief Justice Buteera stressed the need to enhance the capacity of institutions, especially prisons built in the 1950s and 60s, and to increase the number of prosecutors to match the Judiciary’s recruitment efforts. These measures, he believes, would free up resources and improve the overall efficiency of the justice system.
