Suspects, plaintiffs fuelling corruption in Judiciary – Dollo
Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo (centre) interacts with judges during the launch of the new Kitgum High Court Circuit on March 11, 2024. PHOTO/JESUS OKELLO OJARA
What you need to know:
- Justice Philip Mwaka, the new Kitgum High Court resident judge, said the majority of cases the court has handled in the past are juvenile offences.
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo has blamed the rampant corruption in the Judiciary on panicky suspects and complainants who entice judicial officers into accepting bribes to have their cases offset.
On March 11, while launching the new Kitgum High Court Circuit in Kitgum Town, Justice Owiny-Dollo attacked complainants and relatives of suspects on trial warning that unless they stick to their rights to access to justice, the vice could breed further in the sector.
“This thing called corruption, I doubt that a judicial officer can send the clerk to the complainant to ask for a bribe; you people are normally desperate, that is why you initiate this corruption,” Justice Owiny-Dollo said.
About a year ago, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera admitted during an open court session that corruption was one key factor stifling the delivery of justice in the country.
Justice Owiny-Dollo believes if people learn to properly use their judicial rights, ending corruption in the judicial system will turn into an easy hurdle to climb since judicial officers will not bribe anybody.
“If we work with truth and honesty, if we know how to use our rights, we will end corruption within the Judiciary. This is your court, you can strengthen it to serve you well or destroy it depending on how you can handle the judicial officers and non-judicial officers here,” he stated.
The new Kitgum High Court Circuit is meant to serve the greater Kitgum District, Pader, Lamwo, Agago, and the entire East Acholi.
“Part of the things we have done to promote access to justice is to fight delays by littering the countryside with courts of law and ensuring that judicial officers are hardworking and dedicated so that there is no temptation by the people to think they have to ‘do something’ to get justice,” Justice Owiny-Dollo explained.
He said the Judiciary is looking for a way to give power back to the African traditional justice systems to help reduce the burden of backlogs of cases of land disputes, divorce, among others that were heard by the traditional leaders.
Justice Philip Mwaka, the new Kitgum High Court resident judge, said the majority of cases the court has handled in the past are juvenile offences.
“… on Friday [March 15] , we will move to Gulu Remand Home to finish off the remaining 12 cases under this region,” Justice Mwaka said.
