The High Court sitting in Rukungiri on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, commenced an in-house criminal session with 40 cases lined up for hearing.
The session was launched with a pre-session meeting that brought together key justice stakeholders, including officials from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), defence lawyers, court assessors, Uganda Police Force, and Uganda Prisons Service.
Presiding over the meeting, Lady Justice Susan Kanyange emphasized the importance of time management and collaboration in delivering timely justice.
She urged defence counsel to engage their clients early and State Attorneys to ensure that witnesses are readily available.
“We must be seen doing justice to those near and far. We must work together to ensure that every case is handled efficiently so that the victims, the accused persons, and the community at large can see justice served,” Justice Kanyange said.
Assistant Registrar Hellen Atigo revealed that the session will handle 40 cases, including 10 of murder, 13 of aggravated defilement, nine of rape, seven of aggravated robbery, one of aggravated trafficking, and one of aggravated torture.
Justice Kanyange reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to reducing case backlog and restoring public confidence, stressing that more out-of-station sessions in Kanungu District should also be considered to expand access to justice.
She further advised lawyers with pending bail applications and appeals to serve them on the ODPP and schedule them appropriately with guidance from the Assistant Registrar.
