The Rukungiri High Court has commenced an in-house criminal session featuring 40 cases on the cause list, covering a wide range of serious offences including aggravated defilement, murder, rape, trafficking in persons, and aggravated robbery.
The session opened with a pre-session meeting bringing together key justice sector actors, including officials from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), defence lawyers, court assessors, and representatives from the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda Prisons Service.
Presiding over the meeting, Resident Judge Lady Justice Susan Kanyange urged all participants to prioritize effective time management in order to avoid delays that often slow down criminal proceedings.
She emphasized the importance of advocates adequately consulting and briefing their clients ahead of hearings to ensure smoother case handling.
Lady Justice Kanyange further called for enhanced cooperation among justice actors, noting that coordinated engagement remains critical to the timely disposal of cases.
She observed that although the session is being conducted in-house, most of the cases originate from Kanungu District.
She also directed State Attorneys to ensure witnesses are properly availed in court, stressing their central role in expediting criminal trials.
The cause list includes 17 cases of aggravated defilement, 14 of murder, seven of rape, one case of trafficking in persons, and one of aggravated robbery.
Justice Kanyange reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to timely justice delivery, noting that criminal sessions remain a key intervention in addressing case backlog and strengthening public confidence in the justice system.