Hon. Christine Hellen Amongin Aporu addressing the Hon. Judges during the JSC engagement at JTI
The Judicial Service Commission on Monday May 7, 2018 had a half-day engagement with the new High Court Judges.
The interface addressed crucial matters such as complaints mechanism and expectations from the public.
Speaking at the meet, Hon. Christine Hellen Amongin Aporu, a Commissioner at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), said there is public outcry on delayed disposal of cases.
The Commissioner who represents the public and also doubles as the in charge of the Committee on Education and Public Affairs added, "For a long time the Judiciary has been grappling with the problems of backlog. We know that different government agencies face hardships resulting from inadequate funding but we have to deliver services to the people despite the hardships."
She told the judges that the public expects them to have high integrity.
"The public feels that the court is very soft with criminals and its sanctions are not deterrent enough. Sometimes the criminals are so notorious that they commit crime with impunity," Ms Aporu stated.
During the plenary session, Hon. Judges Tadeo Asiimwe and David Matovu urged the JSC that when it clears judicial officers who had been under investigation, the information should be made public.
They reasoned that whenever judicial officers are under investigation, the information is shared in media yet the decisions are never given the same prominence.
Commissioner,Ms Norah Matovu Winyi said the Commission has several disciplinary measures it can impose on errant judicial officers such as retirement in public interest,reduction in rank, among others.
The meeting was set up Judicial Officers to induct the new Judges on how to conduct themselves, what to expect of them and how to file complaints to JSC.
About JSC
The Judicial Service Commission is a Constitutional body established under Article 146 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, 1995, whose mandate is to recruit judicial officers and regulate their conduct.
Posted 9th, May 2018
