Third Plea Bargain Conference
Hon. Justice Dr. Bamwine (PJ) and Hon. Justice Chibita (Director of Public Prosecution) at the third plea bargaining conference
The third National Plea Bargaining Conference was successfully held at the Imperial Royale Hotel on Thursday June 15, 2017. The Judiciary organized the Conference with Pepperdine University.
While at the opening the Hon. Principal Judge, Dr. Yorokamu Bamwine, said most inmates are appreciative of the role played by Plea Bargaining in their lives."Inmates have requested to consider introducing plea bargains even in appellate courts so that convicts benefit from the policy and backlogs go down."
He however said that many inmates have expressed disappointment that courts are not honoring agreements. "The lesson we are learning from all this is that judges should ensure that the accused has consented to the prison sentence before sanctioning the agreement."
The DPP, Mike Chibita told the Conference that Plea Bargaining is a huge step in the reduction of backlog.
The Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija said that in the 2016/17FY, there have been 45 plea bargaining sessions with 1,245 inmates convicted. He said there was need to put vigor in ordinary sessions to help reduce on congestion in prisons
Posted 16th, June 2017
