In a move to enhance access to justice and expedite case resolution, the Judiciary has launched a three-day Plea Bargaining Prison Camp at Kitalya Mini Max Prison.
The initiative, officially flagged off this morning by Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, the Judiciary’s Focal Judge for Plea Bargaining, is expected to clear 213 cases from the Criminal Division and the Luwero and Mubende High Court Circuits.
Representing Principal Judge Flavian Zeija, Justice Okuo underscored the importance of plea bargaining in reducing case backlogs and ensuring timely justice.
She noted that the process allows inmates who accept responsibility for their actions to receive fair and swift resolutions, sparing them prolonged periods on remand.
"I thank all the inmates who have registered to take part in the Plea Bargaining Camp. That is a step in the right direction. There is nothing to gain by waiting for a full trial when you know you committed the offense," she remarked.
The Judiciary has deployed four judges to oversee the plea bargaining process:
Lady Justice Henrietta Wolayo (Luwero), Justice Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa (Criminal Division), Justice Acellam Collins (Mubende), Lady Justice Rosette Comfort Kania (Criminal Division)
These judges are expected to conclude cases efficiently, ensuring that justice is both swift and fair.
Justice Okuo reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), emphasizing that it aligns with Uganda’s traditional justice mechanisms.Plea bargaining, she noted, is an effective tool in delivering justice, particularly for inmates who voluntarily opt for the process.
She urged judicial officers, prosecutors, and defense lawyers to conduct the plea bargaining process with thoroughness and integrity, ensuring that guilty pleas are properly recorded before sentencing.
The launch was attended by several judicial officers, including: HW Festo Nsenga (Outgoing Deputy Registrar, Criminal Division, HW Rogers Kinobe (Deputy Registrar, Mubende),HW Dr. Daniel Lubowa (Assistant Registrar, ADR Registry), who moderated the proceedings
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) was represented by Margaret Nakigudde, the ODPP Focal Person for Plea Bargaining, along with other prosecution representatives. Defense advocates were also present to facilitate the process.
From the Uganda Prisons Service, senior officers including SP Hassan Walanganira, the In-Charge of Kitalya, and ASP Nixon Katsigazi, his Deputy, participated in the event alongside other key stakeholders.
The Plea Bargaining Camp at Kitalya underscores the Judiciary’s ongoing reforms aimed at improving access to justice and decongesting prisons.
With Uganda’s criminal justice system often overwhelmed by case backlogs, initiatives like these provide a pragmatic solution to delays while upholding fairness and accountability.