The Court of Appeal is set to handle 40 criminal appeals in a ‘scientific’ court session that will last one month at the Mbarara High Court.
In a statement released by the Court of Appeal Registrar, Ayebare Tumwebaze, three justices of the court; Elizabeth Musoke, Stephen Musota, and Remmy Kasule will consider appeals arising from the Mbarara High Court between 2013 and 2017 via the Zoom Meeting technology.
“This scientific approach will enable the Justices to handle cases expeditiously and economically as well as observing the Ministry of Health Guidelines on Covid-19,” Tumwebaze said in a statement.
“The Justices and counsel will physically be present at the High Court in Mbarara, but their clients will participate via the Zoom technology.”
The court registrar said arrangements have already been made for the attorneys to engage their appellant clients on how to participate in the scientific court session.
“The advocates are required to advise and sensitize their respective appellants on the new measures to avert Covid-19 and on the rationale for the resolution that proceedings will be conducted remotely.”
According to the cause-list for the session, 26 of the 40 cases are murder appeals, aggravated defilement (8), aggravated robbery (3), and rape (3).
Two of the murder appellants are seeking to overturn life sentences earlier imposed on them by the High Court.
