JUDICIARY Latest Features

The chief inspector of courts, Justice Augustine Nshimye (Right), address prisoners at Malukhu prison in Mbale District

The Chief Inspector of Courts, Hon. Justice Augustine\r\nNshimye, said corruption and having fewer High Court sessions are the main\r\ncauses of the huge case backlogs in courts.
\r\nHe said unpreparedness of lawyers and police, delays in delivery of judgments\r\nand shortage of Judges are the other reasons.
\r\n"Our target as an inspectorate is to increase the number of High Court sessions\r\nand ensure all judges and magistrates at all levels are evaluated annually\r\naccording to the number of cases handled,” said Justice Nshimye during a visit\r\nto Malukhu prison on Monday May 23, 2016.

He received information that there are suspects who have\r\nbeen on remand for 10 years without appearing in court.
\r\n"It is illegal for these people to be here, they should apply for bail\r\nimmediately,” said Hon. Justice Nshimye, also a Supreme Court Justice.
\r\nHe said sometimes the parties involved in the case are unprepared and delay in\r\ncommitting suspects to courts for trial due to bribery at various levels\r\nescalates the problem.
\r\n"We need the High Court to have more than two sessions in a year to improve\r\nservice delivery and efficiency in order to bring down the backlog,” he said.

Mr Emmanuel Olari, who spoke on behalf of other inmates,\r\nsaid many of them are often struck off the list of those who are lined up to\r\nappear in court and they have overstayed on remand without trial.
\r\n"My lord Justice, we have people who have been here since 2006, we have very\r\nold and disabled men. We have boys below the age of 18 detained with us here.\r\nSometimes the old men can’t walk to get their food. We are asking that you\r\npardon these,” Mr Olari, a teacher charged with aggravated defilement, said.

The officer in charge of the Malukhu prison, Mr Christopher\r\nOkware, said the facility produces most of the suspects in court daily and that\r\nit is the courts to determine the suspects to be committed for trial.
\r\nThe Resident District Commissioner, Mr James Shilaku, urged the Judiciary to sensitize\r\nthe public about plea-bargain and Small Claims dispute resolution mechanisms to\r\nease case backlog. 

This article was published by the daily monitor.