Kiboga High Court has officially flagged off a 40-day in-house criminal session aimed at reducing case backlog and enhancing access to justice in the region.
The session was launched virtually by the Principal Judge, Jane Frances Abodo, and is expected to handle a total of 50 criminal cases.
According to the cause list signed by Court Registrar Angella Mutatiina Natukunda, the cases include 20 of aggravated defilement, 12 of murder, nine of rape, four of aggravated trafficking in children, and five of aggravated robbery. Priority has been given to juvenile matters and older cases that had matured into backlog.
Addressing stakeholders at the opening of the session, the Resident Judge of Kiboga, Jamson Karemani, assured the public and justice sector actors of the Judiciary’s commitment to clearing backlog and delivering timely justice. He urged stakeholders to embrace plea bargaining where appropriate, maintain zero tolerance to corruption, and support ongoing reforms under the Judiciary’s Transformation Agenda.
“We remain committed to clearing backlog and delivering timely justice,” he said.
Justice Karemani highlighted key reforms being pursued by the Judiciary, including the promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution, enhancement of the jurisdiction of Magistrates’ Courts, the introduction of mobile courts, and digital transformation through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS).
Justice Karemani noted that ECCMIS is expected to streamline case management, expand online access to court services, and improve efficiency through automated case tracking and notifications.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions thanked the Court for the support extended in summoning witnesses, facilitating disclosures, and enabling joint cause-listing, affirming its readiness to proceed with all the matters on the cause list.
The session commenced with a guard of honour parade, followed by a stakeholders’ engagement meeting attended by judicial officers, prosecutors, State brief advocates, Police, Prisons officers, and court users.
Court users welcomed the session and commended the circuit for restoring hope in the administration of criminal justice in the region.
