JUDICIARY Latest Features

Hon. Justice Henry Adonyo giving his remarks during the training on the use of Audio Visual link at Fort Portal High Court

The Government\r\nin partnership with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has embarked on a\r\nprocess to procure Audio Visual Link for all courts to speed up the hearing of children cases. This revelation was contained in remarks made by Hon. Justice\r\nHenry Adonyo the Executive Director Judicial Studies Institute during a hands\r\non training on the use of Audio Visual Link at the Fort Portal High\r\nCourt. 

Audio\r\nVisual Link is a digital way of giving evidence without physically being\r\npresent in court. The\r\ntraining follows the issuance of the Judicature Audio Visual Rules SI No\r\n26/2016 by the Hon the Chief Justice and launch of the technology by the Hon\r\nthe Principal Judge at Fort Portal High Court. The\r\ninduction training targeted Advocates, Magistrates,State Attorneys, Probation\r\nOfficers, Prisons Authorities, Police, Justice For Children Coordinators, court\r\nstaff and other JLOS actors in Rwenzori region. 

Hon.\r\nJustice Masalu Musene, the head of the Criminal Division of the High Court told\r\nparticipants to take advantage of the technology to relieve victims\r\nfrom the anxiety of giving evidence in open court. He added that this reduces\r\non the cost of litigation and promotes witness protection. Hon.\r\nJustice Musene advised the criminal justice actors that in instances where\r\nwitnesses are out of the country, the Audio Visual Link can be used as well as\r\nin sexual offences or as a measure of witness protection.  Hon.\r\nJustice Anthony Ayoko the resident Judge Fort Portal High Court stressed the\r\nneed for an alternative power source to enable courts to utilize the facilities\r\nthat have been installed in court.