Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, has reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to ensuring timely and accessible justice as he officially opened a three-day Court of Appeal Criminal Session at the Kabale High Court on Tuesday.
The session, running from November 4th to 6th, 2025, will hear 30 criminal appeals, presided over by a panel comprising Justices Frederick Martin Stephen Egonda-Ntende, Oscar John Kihika, and Jesse Byaruhanga Rugyema.
According to the cause list issued by Registrar HW Rukundo Allen Owembabazi, the appeals include 12 cases of murder, 10 of aggravated defilement, four of aggravated robbery, two of kidnap with intent to murder, and one each of rape and manslaughter, along with a State appeal challenging an acquittal in an aggravated defilement case.
Justice Zeija described the Kabale sitting, the third Court of Appeal criminal session in the region, as a key milestone in promoting access to justice.
He said regional sessions help ease the financial burden on litigants who would otherwise travel to Kampala for hearings.
While acknowledging the persistent case backlog, Justice Zeija attributed it to the Court’s heavy caseload and previously limited staffing.
However, he expressed optimism following the recent appointment of additional Justices, increasing the Court’s strength from 13 to 20, with expectations to reach the statutory 35 to support the establishment of regional appellate circuits.
He noted that the Judiciary is leveraging ICT systems to tackle operational challenges, including misplaced records, and that a dedicated task force is already tracking missing case files.
“The Judiciary remains committed to timely and efficient justice delivery,” he emphasized, urging stronger collaboration among all justice sector actors.
Justice Zeija also encouraged wider use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms such as mediation and plea bargaining to complement formal adjudication.
Kabale Resident Judge, Justice Karoli Lwanga Ssemogerere, welcomed the appellate panel and commended the circuit’s ongoing progress in reducing backlog through inter-agency cooperation among the Attorney General’s Office, ODPP, Police, Prisons Service, and local government.
He further highlighted innovations such as virtual testimony, the Kabale Remand Home’s role in juvenile justice, and the court’s ongoing digitization initiatives, including an online portal for cause lists and judgments, and collaboration with the Ministry of Lands on land case management.
Sam Oola, representing the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), lauded the Judiciary’s regional sessions as “a vital innovation” in addressing case delays but called for more prosecutors and timely communication of upcoming sessions.
From the Attorney General’s Chambers, Betty Karungi Gasabusa revealed plans to open five new regional offices, including in Kabale and Masaka, to boost government legal representation, while
Rebecca Ayesiga of the Uganda Law Society praised the Judiciary’s consistency in holding regional sessions, saying they “restore public confidence and give litigants renewed hope.”
The Source Reports.
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