Chief Justice decries shortage of judges

Concerned. Chief Justice Bart Katureebe delivers a speech during the Court Open Day in Fort Portal Town, Boma Grounds on Monday. Photo by Alex Ashaba

What you need to know:

Number. According to Chief Justice Bart Katureebe, Uganda has only 50 High Court judges.

KABAROLE. Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has expressed concern over the increasing number of cases in courts yet there is inadequate number of judges.


Justice Katureebe said currently the country has only 50 High Court judges yet people who need justice are many.
“The number of our High Court judges is not enough. For example, Fort Portal High Court needs four judges but only one is available and that is why some cases take long to be concluded. But I’m happy to report to you that the Judicial Service Commission is now making interviews and if we get like 10 High Court judges, I will send one to Fort Portal,” Justice Katureebe said during the Court Open Day in Fort Portal Town at Boma Grounds on Monday.


Justice Katureebe said the case backlog committee was constituted to investigate why cases are accumulating in courts of law without being concluded and that each judge will be given a target of cases to handle every year.
“The case backlog committee report shows there are more than 30,000 cases in the courts of law that are not concluded and that most cases take more than three years to get concluded,” he said.


On missing files, Justice Katureebe attributed it to corruption at both police and courts.
As a remedy, government has given Shs6b to the Judiciary to computerise the storage system to reduce the number of cases where files are getting lost and misplaced everyday.
He said the computerised system will start in 12 courts as a pilot study across the country.

Mob ‘justice’
Kabarole Resident District Commissioner Steven Asiimwe said the delay to conclude cases in the courts of law has resulted into mob action most especially on land cases that are taking long to get concluded.
Kabarole District chairman Richard Rwabuhinga said there are many cases that have taken more than 10 years without being concluded by judges, adding that justice delayed is justice denied.
“As I speak there are 1,252 inmates at Katojo Prison in Fort Portal, of which 839 are on remand and the number is overwhelming because these people are not taken to court,” Mr Rwabuhinga said.

Committee

Cases. Justice Katureebe said the case backlog committee was constituted to investigate why cases are accumulating in courts of law without being concluded and that each judge will be given a target of cases to handle every year.