Case backlog overwhelms Hoima High Court

The High Court circuit  in Hoima has reported a case backlog, with most of the cases related to land grabbing.

This state of affairs is further compounded by the availability of only one judge who is struggling to handle the 2527 cases.

In a move to extend court services and save people in Hoima and Kikuube from traveling to Masindi for high court case services, the judiciary in 2023 introduced a High Court circuit in Hoima.

However, while this was created, it's yet to serve the purpose with judge  Jesse Byaruhanga noting challenges of limited space and staffing with the entire court having only one judge to deal with the overwhelming criminal cases.

For instance, out of the 2527 cases in the high court in Hoima, 1078 are related to land conflicts, while 1,243 are related to other criminal offences. Of these a total of 547 are pending handling.

"Court was introduced but we are struggling, look only one justice to deal with these cases, it's practically not easy, so people are under served, we pray for more deployments, so when I'm not here I find cases piled," Byaruhanga said

Justice Byaruhanga is appealing for recruitment of more justices in the judiciary sector so that people can be served.

"At least each and every day there is a case being committed, most of these from police they are committed to court especially if they are criminal in nature but one person can't handle all these," he added.

The revelations where made during an interaction with citizens at the High Court in Hoima.

Justice Benjamin Kabito the Chairman judicial service commission acknowledged the problem of space and staffing but he did not reveal  any plans of having more judges in the near future.

"I want to thank you our judges in Hoima for doing well amidst these many challenges, one judge, one registrar it's painful but I still want to encourage you to continue working within the environment, probably things will get better soon."