Pilot Plea Bargaining Session in the Nakawa High Court Circuit.
Over\r\n150 suspects under Nakawa High Court circuit pleaded guilty for criminal\r\noffences under the first ever plea bargain programme initiated by the Judiciary\r\nand Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) as a strategy for reducing the\r\nhuge case backlog in the country.
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The\r\npilot plea bargain programme was rolled out in May, with 261 suspects willing\r\nto plead guilty for the offences they committed. However, out of the 261\r\nsuspects, 150 (60.4%) successfully, went through the programme and were handed\r\nlighter sentences.
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The\r\nregions that fall under the Nakawa High Court circuit that were targeted\r\nincluded; Entebbe Magisterial Area, Kiboga Magisterial Area, Mubende Magisterial\r\nArea, and Mpigi Magisterial Area. The programme was handled by five Hon. Judges\r\nof the High Court, 20 defense lawyers and 10 state prosecutors.
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Speaking\r\nat the forum on Friday, the DPP, Hon. Justice Dr. Mike Chibita, said the\r\nstrategy was more cost effective compared to the normal full trial. He also asked\r\nthe relevant stakeholders to embrace the programme, explaining that in Los\r\nAngeles California in the United States of America, about 90 per cent of the\r\ncases were settled through this programme and yet they have higher numbers of Judges\r\nand prosecutors compared to Uganda.
Posted 29th, August 2014
