The High Court in Masaka has registered more than 100 criminal cases that will be handled during the November plea-bargaining session aimed at speeding up justice delivery and decongesting prisons.
Resident Judge Justice Victoria Nakintu revealed the figures while launching the session at Masaka Main Prison on Wednesday. She said the exercise is crucial in reducing case backlog, noting that some inmates have been on remand since 2013.
“It is unacceptable for people to remain in detention for over a decade without trial. We are focusing on plea-bargaining sessions to resolve such cases quickly before we move to civil and administrative duties,” Justice Nakintu said.
Acting Principal Judge Justice Jane Kajuga said the Judiciary is piloting daily hearings to phase out the session-based approach in criminal trials. She explained that the new system would ensure continuous handling of cases, particularly in stations with adequate human resources.
“We want to make daily hearings a reality to ensure justice is delivered faster. Increasing the number of judges to 89 is part of our strategy to reduce the backlog across all courts,” Justice Kajuga noted.
She added that the ongoing sessions not only promote faster case disposal but also help to decongest prisons, urging close coordination among the Judiciary, Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and prison authorities.
At Masaka Main Prison, the Deputy Officer-in-Charge, Gerald Okabo, expressed concern over the growing number of inmates, calling for targeted interventions.
“Our facility was built to accommodate 380 inmates, but we currently have more than 1,000. Some cases have stalled because witnesses fail to appear. We appeal for special sessions for elderly prisoners and dismissal of dormant cases to ease congestion,” Okabo said.
Alexander Lule, Chairperson of the Uganda Law Society in Greater Masaka, welcomed the Judiciary’s renewed efforts but urged for more staffing to sustain the progress.
“We need more prosecutors and judges to handle the growing workload. However, we appreciate the Judiciary’s efforts—this is the second plea-bargaining session this year, something we haven’t seen in over 15 years,” Lule said.
The plea-bargaining initiative allows accused persons to plead guilty in exchange for lighter sentences, helping courts to dispose of cases faster and reduce the number of inmates on remand.
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