Participants in the Anti- Corruption Court Users' Committee meeting
KOLOLO: The Head of the Anti-Corruption Division, Hon. Justice Lawrence Gidudu, on Thursday April 4,2019 presided over the committee meeting for Anti- Corruption Division Court Users' in Kololo.
A number of stakeholders from JLOS institutions, Anti-Corruption Agencies and International NGOs, attended the April 04 engagement held at the ACD, Kololo.
The meeting discussed a number of issues including the ACD case management rules that were ready for gazetting, the need to rethink the Anti-Corruption response, strategies to create media visibility of the activities of the ACD and the need to improve the speed at which cases are handled.
The observation was that corruption cases registered at the Court were on the increase, thanks to the inception of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema.
Hon.Justice Gidudu noted the anti-corruption institutions risk being irrelevant in future,if they do not change their methods of work. He said Government might soon put in place an Anti-Corruption Tribunal to replace the conventional institutions.
Hon.Justice Gidudu said Lt. Col. Nakalema had requested to be part of the Anti-Corruption Court Users' meeting for learning purposes, adding that she would soon start participating.
He thanked the SUGAR TAF for supporting and collaborating with ACD, but requested the organization to arrange a symposium for stakeholders and bring on board Civil Society Coalitions like LASPNET "for society to feel the impact of the Anti- Corruption Institutions".
Others notably in attendance were the Deputy Registrar ACD, HW Susan Kanyange,the Chief Magistrate ACD, HW Lamunu Pamella Ocaya, Grade I Magistrate at ACD, HW Asiimwe Abert and H/W Sarah Namusobya, Mr. Musa Modoi from JLOS,Ms. Lilliane Barenzi and Ms. Birabwa Nsubuga from SUGAR-TAF, Ms. Harriet Angom,Senior State Attorney, ODPP, among others.
The Court Users Committee 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.
These 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.
Posted 8th, April 2019
