Stop writing charge sheets in wrong English, judge warns state prosecutors
Justice Susan Okalany
What you need to know:
- Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, the patron of the association, lauded the prosecutors for their efforts in combating human trafficking but noted that more efforts are needed.
State prosecutors under the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have been warned against drafting charge sheets in wrong English.
Justice Susan Okalany who is attached to the International Crimes Division of the High Court, instead, urged them to use tools such as Grammarly or AI to improve their writing and proofreading the same.
“There is something I had forgotten – the quality of the charge sheets. Simply because [a lawyer] is the one appearing doesn’t mean [the charges are acceptable]. But I know for sure that the charges and procedural proceedings are done by people outside,” she said on Friday during the Annual General Meeting of the Uganda Association of Prosecutors in Kampala.
She added, “Let us use proper English on the charge sheets. Let us sit down and prepare these charge sheets with correct English. Convey all the elements clearly to ensure the court understands that you know what you are addressing,”
She added, “These days, there is Grammarly. When we don’t look at these things very nicely, you disappoint me and you shame me. My appeal is to draft these charges like people who have gone to school. draft this summary of the cases properly before you come to court.”
A charge sheet is a document that records the details of a crime a person is accused of. It's prepared after a first information report (FIR) is filed. The charge sheet is submitted to a court, which then decides who will be put on trial.
Speaking at the same event, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, the patron of the association, lauded the prosecutors for their efforts in combating human trafficking but noted that more efforts are needed.
“Prosecutors play a critical role and should continue to do so in combating human trafficking by ensuring that those accused of human trafficking are held accountable under the existing legal framework. Article 120 of our Constitution mandates you as prosecutors to direct police in criminal investigations,” Justice Buteera said.
Adding, “The government has responded to the offense of human trafficking by enacting laws to combat, prevent, and suppress trafficking in persons and to protect the victims of trafficking. These laws are in place, but they need to be implemented, and it is prosecutors who are in a pivotal position if we are to enforce the laws we have.”
Data collected from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) indicates that from July 2023 to date, the number of trafficking cases stands at 3,259.
Justice Buteera urged prosecutors to work closely with police and other law enforcement agencies for effective investigation of human trafficking cases.
“They are not easy to investigate; they need your expertise and proper guidance. The offense of human trafficking, often being trans-boundary, requires mutual cooperation with law enforcement officers in other jurisdictions. Prosecutors should utilize the existing international and regional legal frameworks to seek international cooperation from other states where the relevant evidence could be obtained,” he said.
In terms of the distribution of trafficking cases per region, Mbale DPP region is represented by 373 cases, Kampala by 313, Masaka by 257, Jinja by 253, Nakawa by 233, Gulu by 173, Karamoja by 173, Mukono by 161, Mubende by 154, Lira by 127, Kabale by 203, Mpigi by 89, the DPP’s headquarters by 100 cases, Arua by 85, Masindi by 73, Luweero by 61, and Soroti by 47.
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