Alebtong Sensitized on New Court Initiatives
The Judiciary PR & Communications Office on September 18, 2017 carried out community outreach activities in Alebtong District and surrounding areas. The team visited the Magistrate's court which is housed by the District administration to sensitize court users on the new access to justice initiatives.
The Alebtong Court is housed in a new District administration building without furniture.The district authorities recently supported the court with some 10 plastic chairs for court users and two old chairs and tables for the Magistrate and prosecutor.
The Court also has no stand docks for accused persons and witnesses or even a holding cell for accused persons. In the court, the accused are simply lumped in one corner of the court hall and court business goes on.
The other office space occupied by the court serves as chambers for the Magistrate,registry, prosecution office as well as reception. The court shares a prosecutor with Apala Court who serves them on alternate days.
HW Ssemaganda Grace Richard, the Magistrate Grade I Alebtong, welcomed the new access to justice initiatives such as plea bargaining, Mediation and Small Claims Procedure.
He said the new initiatives specifically Mediation have been instrumental in the disposal of cases. "We have been using Mediation a lot and it has helped us to settle almost half of the disputes registered in our court," he said.
The community outreach was supported by the United Nations Development Fund.
Posted 20th, September 2017
