Murder and defilement are the leading criminal appeals currently being heard in the Court of Appeal session in Fort Portal City, which started on October 14, 2024. The session, presided over by three justices, Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Muzamiru Kibeedi, and Margeret Tibulya, will address a total of 26 appeals over a span of three days.
According to the list of cases issued by Lillian Buchana, deputy registrar in charge of the criminal registry at the Court of Appeal, the bulk of the appeals involve serious crimes. There are 13 appeals from individuals convicted of murder, while nine cases involve appeals from those convicted of defilement. Other cases on the schedule include two appeals for robbery convictions and two for rape, where the appellants seek to have their sentences overturned or reduced.
Samuel Muhumuza, a member of the Uganda Law Society, has expressed concern over the performance of the Court of Appeal. He noted that the court has one of the lowest rates of case completion, with only 7.2% of cases disposed of in the last year. According to Muhumuza, this backlog has raised concerns within the legal community about the effectiveness of the judiciary in providing timely justice.
The Fort Portal High Court, headed by resident judge Vincent Mugabo, has been working to address the backlog of cases in the region. For the financial year 2022/23, the court is grappling with 1,242 pending cases, of which 522 are criminal cases. Mugabo pointed out that a significant number of these cases, around 378, are from previous years. Additionally, the chief magistrates’ courts in the region, which include Fort Portal, Kyenjojo, Bunyangabu, and Ntoroko, are currently handling a further 3,465 cases.
Mugabo emphasized that the court is working to address both new cases and the backlog simultaneously. One of the methods being used to reduce the case backlog is the introduction of plea bargain agreements, which are offered every quarter. These plea bargains allow for quicker resolution of certain cases, which in turn helps to ease the pressure on the court system.
The ongoing appeal sessions in Fort Portal represent an effort to address some of the most serious criminal convictions in the country. With murder and defilement cases leading the list, the court is under pressure to deliver fair and timely judgments, while also managing the backlog of cases that have been waiting for resolution.
Table: Fort Portal Court of Appeal Criminal Appeals
| Type of Appeal | Number of Cases |
|---|---|
| Murder | 13 |
| Defilement | 9 |
| Robbery | 2 |
| Rape | 2 |
Despite efforts to expedite case resolution, the high number of pending cases in Fort Portal underscores the ongoing challenge of case backlog in Uganda’s judicial system. Legal professionals like Muhumuza have raised concerns about the performance of the Court of Appeal, calling for improvements to ensure that justice is not delayed for those awaiting judgment.
