Criminal Division's Stakeholder Engagement
Hon. Mike Chibitta , DPP, Hon. Justice Kwesiga, Head Criminal Division and USL President,Mr Gimara Frank
Kampala.The Criminal Division of the High Court recently held a stakeholders meeting to chart a way of expediting trials.
Hon. Justice Wilson Kwesiga,the Head of the Criminal Division of the High Court, who was the convener of the meeting, said it was important to get ideas from the bar and the prosecution on how to improve dispensation of justice. It was noted that shortage of judges at the Criminal Division makes it hard to hold continuous court sessions.
The Criminal Division has only four Hon. Judges who have 68,582 cases that are pending in the Division's registries. He said the court has adopted interventions such as Plea Bargaining and using Audio Visual Link for vulnerable witnesses.
In his remarks, Hon. Justice Mike Chibita, the Director of Public Prosecution said the prosecution is ready to support the criminal justice system to ensure that justice is done. He said, "Backlog is a major setback that needs to be dealt with."
On his part, Mr Francis Gimara, the President Uganda Law Society said criminal justice is the face of the justice system. He pledged the bar's support to ensure that there is service delivery.
The meeting recommended there activation of the Court Users Committee. This is a forum that brings together actors in the administration of justice as well as users in the justice system to address problems within the sector and to coordinate responses to these problems by the Judiciary. Court Users Committees have been lauded as the best vehicle for improving public participation in judicial processes, because they provide the opportunity to make the justice system more participatory. It was recommended that the spectrum of advocates under state brief be increased to ensure quality.
Concern was raised on the quality of investigations being carried out.
The meeting which took place at the High Court in Kampala was attended by Judiciary's Technical Adviser, Mr Andrew Khaukha; state attorneys and defense lawyers among other stakeholders in the justice system.
Posted 29th, August 2017
