Judiciary to clear Masaka case backlog in a year
Suspects in a Masaka District court. PHOTO/FILE/URN
What you need to know:
- Masaka Chief Magistrate Sylvia Nvannungi noted that the move to increase judicial officers will yield good results for both the Judiciary and public.
Judicial officials in Greater Masaka have set a one-year timeline to clear the case backlog, which currently stands at 1,328 cases.
According to records at Masaka High Court, a total of 2,130 cases are pending hearing and the backlog cases have been in court for more than six years.
Speaking at a judicial meeting on Tuesday, Masaka resident judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba noted that some of the causes of case backlogs include transfer of judges, lost files, and few judges to handle all the cases.
“What we did, we counted all files in the High Court in their categories such as civil, criminal and others and assimilated them with the court case administration system,” Ms Katamba said.
She noted that plea-bargain, criminal and juvenile sessions, and mediation have helped them to reduce the cases.
“I can assure you that around March next year, we will have zero case backlog,” Ms Katamba said.
The meeting attracted judicial officers from Masaka High Court Circuit, which comprises four magisterial areas, including Masaka, Kalangala, Sembabule and Rakai districts.
Masaka Chief Magistrate Sylvia Nvannungi noted that the move to increase judicial officers will yield good results for both the Judiciary and public.
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Ms Norah Mirembe Matovu, who represents the Uganda Law Society on the Judicial Service Commission, applauded the newly appointed judges for the work done in reducing case backlog in Masaka Sub-region.
During a visit to Masaka Magisterial area last October, the deputy Chief Justice, Mr Richard Buteera, blamed case backlogs on delayed police investigations.
