Court users cry out over bribes, delayed trial

Mr Richard Kikonyogo, a court user, yesterday poured out his emotions when he claimed that his case was only coming up once a year for hearing.

He claimed that the reason for his case delay was because he was not paying bribes to judicial officers.

“I have spent over 20 years running to court to find justice but my matter is only slated for hearing once a year and it is painful to be told that the Judges are absent even on that very day and the same is adjourned,” an emotional Kikoyongo said during the first-ever national court open day ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala on April 15.

The event was organised by the Judiciary.

Adding: “A woman called Nadia Nansubuga who works at the Land Division asked for Shs7 million to have my matter concluded. She confessed to having taken this money and it is for this reason I beseech you the Chief Justice to help me recover my money. I have children and I don’t have money to educate them.” 

Equally,  Mr John Bosco Kasoma, said he has been in court for 18 years.

“I took the matter to court and Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire ruled in my favour. I was 40 years old and as of today, I am 58. I have been tossed around for 18 years without paying my compensation,” Mr Kasoma said while demanded answers from the judicial officers.

Another concerned court user, Ms Nuhu Ntege, claimed: “I was given a court order to evict people who dubiously settled on my land. I was asked to acquire the services of a court bailiff which I did. But I have been painfully frustrated by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC). I, therefore, would like to know where to report the errant RDC?,”

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who was the chief guest, applauded the hundreds of court users who had turned up for the court open day event.

“Feel free to criticise, feel free to question but let it be constructive. Let the engagement be to further understanding. Let us use such an occasion like this or any opportunity constructively with the Judiciary and judicial officials in the deliverance of justice to our people,”  CJ Dollo said.

During yesterday’s event there were various exhibition stalls erected by all the courts around Kampala and other justice service providers like the Police Force, Prisons, and Uganda Law Society.

For example, at the exhibition stall of the International Crimes Division of the High Court, a court that resolves cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and human trafficking, they exhibited Joseph Kony war conflict artefacts.

Some of the artefacts were wooden plates, pots that were used to cook during the war and gumboots, among others.

In her remarks, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo, asked the court users to reject pleas by her prosecutors who demand for money.
 
“Us, we are public servants, we are paid by the government to serve you. The office of the DPP has zero tolerance for corruption; that is why when one of our own is charged with corruption, we carry out investigations and when evidence is entered against them, we let the law take its course and have them prosecuted in courts of law,”  DPP Abodo said.

Likewise, the president of the Uganda Law Society, Mr Bernard Oundo, applauded the Judiciary for organising the first-ever national court open day to account for its constitutional mandate.

Purpose
Court open days are interactive engagements organised at a given court for the public to give feedback to judicial officers. This was the first of its kind that was jointly involving the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and the magistrates’ courts in and around Kampala.

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