Prime
New system to ease court case backlog
Justice Mike Chibita (L) speaks to Luweero District chairman Abdul Nadduli in Luweero Town on Monday. Photo by Dan Wandera
Luweero.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions has drafted a new case management system to reduce case backlog and ensure efficient management of cases, the DPP, Justice Mike Chibita, has said.
“In the new case management system, it will not be a requirement that case files recalled to the office of the DPP are transferred to Kampala but will be handled by particular assigned judicial officers,” Justice Chibita said.
The DPP made the remarks while addressing leaders from Luweero, Nakasongola and Nakaseke districts on Monday.
He was responding to remarks made during a plenary discussion with various stakeholders on the difficulties faced within the judicial system.
Mr Chibita said an additional 80 state attorneys had been recruited and posted countrywide to ease operations.
He said the Plea Bargain System, recently introduced by the Judiciary, was another method devised to quicken the dispensation of justice as it saves time and resources which would be spent on investigation and litigation.
“…the funds released to facilitate courts in transporting witnesses is not enough but the little sent should not be misused. We should not release criminals back to the community simply because we failed to transport witnesses to court. Without witness there will be no conviction. Criminals set free in such circumstances could escalate crime,” Justice Chibita warned.
Replying to complaints about increased cases of lost police case files at different investigation desks, Justice Chibita said: “Police case files have no legs to walk or wings to fly away. We cannot entertain this question of files getting lost. Particular officers handling the files should be held responsible because files bear names of officers who handle them.”
