Rubanda Magistrate’s Court is handling about 250 criminal cases and more than 400 civil cases, with a significant number of the civil disputes arising from SACCO-related disagreements, a court official has said.
His Worship Isaac Rukundo, the magistrate, disclosed the caseload on Wednesday during an inspection of the court by the Resident Judge of the Kabale High Court Circuit, Justice Ssemogerere Karoli Lwanga.
Justice Ssemogerere also inspected Kisoro Chief Magistrate’s Court as part of efforts to assess court operations and challenges affecting justice delivery in the region.
Rukundo said the court also has about three appeals pending, while understaffing continues to affect its operations.
He highlighted challenges in transferring juveniles from Rubanda to the Kabale Remand Home, particularly after conviction and sentencing, as well as when remand orders have been issued.
The magistrate also told the visiting judge that a land title for the proposed new court premises had been secured and was awaiting collection from the Office of the Permanent Secretary.
His Worship Tumwebaze said plans were underway to relocate the court to more suitable premises. He added that the current landlord was willing to make adjustments to the building to better accommodate court operations because of its convenient location.
Justice Ssemogerere acknowledged the resource constraints facing the Judiciary and urged the court to make the best use of the available resources while ensuring that its services remain visible and accessible to the public.
He also emphasised the need for proper management and transfer of court files, particularly ahead of planned stakeholder engagements in the last quarter of the year.
Justice Ssemogerere warned that safeguards should be put in place to ensure that no court documents or files are lost during the process.
The Rubanda District Vice LC5 Chairperson, Ms Prossy Kesafari, called for the establishment of additional courts in Hamura, Bubare and Muko, saying the district’s geographical spread makes it difficult for some residents to access the existing court facilities.
Rubanda Resident District Commissioner Kyeyune Ssenyonjo also presented complaints raised by members of the public regarding access to justice and court services.
Justice Ssemogerere encouraged the RDC to forward such concerns to his office whenever they arise for follow-up.
On infrastructure, the judge said a land title had been secured for the construction of new court premises in Rubanda.
He also noted that District Coordination Committee meetings had not yet commenced despite resources having been provided for the activities.
Meanwhile, the Rubanda District Police Commander, SP John Bosco Tumwebaze, reported an improvement in security, including a reduction in theft and highway robberies.
However, he identified the lack of a proper police station and a Police Health Centre II as some of the challenges affecting police operations in the district.
He said Rubanda Police had received 14 motorcycles to support its operations.
Kisoro court
At Kisoro Chief Magistrate’s Court, which oversees the Magistrates’ Courts in Bunagana and Kyanika, Justice Ssemogerere held discussions with His Worship Derrick Byamugisha and his team on case management and court administration.
The discussions focused on reducing the case backlog and ensuring timely disposal of cases.
Byamugisha cited understaffing, particularly in the preparation and typing of court records, as one of the major challenges facing the court.
He said the court has only one secretary, making it difficult to cope with the workload.
The registry currently has about 560 files under management.
