Summary:
- Justice Buteera emphasized the Judiciary’s commitment to bringing justice closer to Ugandans by holding regional Court of Appeal civil sessions alongside criminal ones.
MBARARA: The Deputy Chief Justice, Richard Buteera, on Wednesday inaugurated Mbarara’s first-ever Court of Appeal Civil Appeals and Applications session at Mbarara High Court.
The session being presided over by Justice Muzamiru Kibeedi, Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja, and Justice Dr. Asa Mugenyi will handle 22 cases, including 11 Civil Applications related to some of the Civil Appeals.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting, Justice Buteera emphasized the Judiciary’s commitment to bringing justice closer to Ugandans by holding regional Court of Appeal civil sessions alongside criminal ones.
He noted that the first such civil session was held in Gulu in November and assured stakeholders that more sessions are planned. Traditionally held in Kampala, these regional sessions aim to reduce transport and litigation costs for litigants.
Justice Buteera also announced that the Judiciary has secured funding to commence the construction of regional Courts of Appeal, starting with Mbarara. This, he said, is part of the Judiciary’s broader transformation agenda to improve access to justice across the country.
The Deputy Chief Justice acknowledged the limited number of Justices at the Court of Appeal, which hampers the formation of panels to handle constitutional, civil, and criminal cases.
Despite this challenge, he reiterated the Court’s commitment to managing its national caseload effectively.
Addressing the heavy workload faced by the Mbarara High Court Circuit, Justice Buteera emphasized the need to appoint more Judges and revealed plans to establish High Court circuits in Ibanda and Ntungamo to ease the burden.
To tackle case backlogs and prison congestion, he announced special criminal sessions scheduled for January to March 2024 in various stations, including Mbarara.
These sessions will combine plea bargaining and full trials, aiming to expedite case resolution. He highlighted the success of Plea Bargaining, noting its capacity to resolve up to 200 cases per session.
Justice Buteera also stressed the importance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, particularly Mediation, urging community, religious, and traditional leaders to promote these methods.
He shared that training for court-accredited mediators has already begun in Arua, Soroti, and Fort Portal, with plans to expand to other courts.
Lady Justice Joyce Kavuma, Head of the Mbarara High Court Circuit, reported that the circuit has over 4,000 pending cases, nearly half of which are categorized as backlog.
She called for additional Judges to manage the workload and emphasized Mediation as an effective tool to reduce case numbers.
Justice Kavuma also thanked Mbarara District and City authorities for allocating land for the construction of the Mbarara Regional Court of Appeal and High Court.
She noted that the new facilities would address space challenges currently faced by advocates and litigants.
She further announced a Plea Bargaining Camp scheduled for next week and an upcoming Court Open Day, to be presided over by the Principal Judge, Dr. Flavian Zeija.
Ms. Karungi Betty Gasabusa, representing the Attorney General’s Chambers and Head of Mbarara Regional Office, welcomed the Court of Appeal session, citing its practical benefits for reducing costs and travel time for lawyers and clients.
However, she highlighted challenges faced by the Attorney General’s Chambers in Mbarara, including severe understaffing.
She noted that only six state attorneys are managing cases across 28 districts and two cities, underscoring the urgent need for more staff.
The Source Reports.
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