The Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Dr Flavian Zeija, officially flagged off a five-days Plea Bargaining camp at Luzira Upper Prison, Kampala for cases under Mukono High Court on Tuesday July4, 2023. A total of 262 inmates from Nakasongola, Kitalya and Luzira prisons are participating in the Camp.
The bulk of the cases that are being handled by Judges; Hon. Justice Olive Kazaarwe and Hon. Lady Jane Okuo Kajuga (the focal point judge for plea bargaining) are sexual offences.
While flagging off the Camp, Dr Zeija noted that Plea Bargaining, is a case backlog reduction intervention and strategy that has been in operation 2014 "with the main objective of ensuring that accused persons who committed offences and are willing to take responsibility for their actions, do not over stay on remand waiting for full Court trial."
He stated that the Judiciary focus is to now "focus on handling cases which are ready for trial, regardless of the period the case was registered in Court and Plea bargaining is a good intervention in facilitating the shift from case backlog management to case load management."
Adding that more benefits of this intervention include saving the accused person from overstaying on remand, saving courts’ time, reduced costs associated with trials.
The Principal Judge reminded the participants to be mindful that Plea Bargain is a judicial process which should be treated as such. "...it should not be merely used as a handshake. Sentences bargained for should be commensurate to the offence committed."
The Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP), Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, appreciated the inmates for embracing Plea Bargaining in huge numbers.
Adding that when they are done serving the sentences, they should leave the prisons reformed and ready to integrate within their communities.
"Plea bargaining is not for the people who are tired of staying in prison but those who admit they did wrong, sorry and ready to take punishment of what they did", she cautioned.
The Deputy Registrar Mukono High Court, HW Elizabeth Akullo Ogwal, noted that the inmates had been fully sensitized about the benefits of Plea Bargaining by the presiding judges.
Adding that the Court was holdingsessions in different areas to reduce case backlog. "Hon. Justice David Matovu(the head of Circuit Mukono) is holding a criminal session at Kayunga ChiefMagistrates Court while Hon. Lady Justice Christine Kaahwa is handling anin-house criminal session."
The Regional Prisons Commander (Kampala Extra), RPC Nabunya Stella Sendi, appreciated the Judiciary for this initiative and funding because it has been very instrumental in reducing prison congestion. She requested for more engagements and sensitizations about the same to enable more inmates benefit from it.
Present at the Camp were Prof Andrew Khaukha (Judiciary Technical Advisor), HW Julius Mwesigye (Personal Assistant to the Principal Judge), participants from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Defence Lawyers, and Prisons Authorities.
The session was moderated by HW Mubiru Nassif Umar (Ag Assistant Registrar, Mukono High Court).
Posted 4th, July 2023
