Murder cases have topped the list of cases to be handled by the Court of Appeal which is currently sitting at the Mbale High Court premises in Mbale City.

Out of the thirty (30) cases to be handled by the panel of three Justices, twenty (20) are challenging convictions for murder, seventeen (17) are appealing convictions for aggravated defilement, while two (02) are against convictions for robbery and one convict is challenging his conviction for rape.

The Court of Appeal Justices sitting in Mbale City are Justice Cheborion Barishaki, who is leading the panel, Justice Christopher Gashirabake, and Justice Oscar Kihika.

The Deputy Chief Justice, Richard Buteera officially opened the Court of Appeal Session sitting at the Mbale High Court premises in Mbale City. Justice Buteera, who also heads the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, said that the court is trying as much as possible to bring services to the people instead of keeping them at the headquarters in Kampala.

Justice Buteera said that the Court of Appeal, which is the second highest court in Uganda, will soon open regional branches, beginning with Mbarara and Gulu districts where land has already been acquired. There will serve northern and Western Regions respectively.

He pledged that construction will begin in the 2023/2024 Financial Year, adding that the project will later be extended to Masaka, Arua, Mbale Jinja, Soroti, and Mubende districts in the subsequent financial years.

Justice Cheborion Barishaki, the head of the Court of Appeal Panel of Justices sitting in Mbale City, noted with concern that there is an increase in murder cases in the sub-region, unlike the previous year where aggravated defilement dominated the list of appeals.

He pledged the commitment of the Court of Appeal to giving judgment in the shortest time possible.

Justice Godfrey Namundi, the Senior Resident judge of Mbale High Court Circuit told the Deputy Chief Justice that the circuit is overwhelmed, with hundreds of cases to handle. He urged the Judiciary to appoint another resident judge who will help in reducing the case backlog.

Justice Namundi’s concert was shared by Ronal Godie, the Regional Prisons Commander, Eastern Region, who also said that the Prisons are overwhelmed by the huge number of inmates. He called for the convening of more Court Of Appeal Sessions which he thinks will help to decongest the prisons, especially Malukhu Government Prisons.

Currently, Uganda has one appellate court, which seats in Kampala. The same court also sits as the Constitutional Court, depending on the matter brought before it. There are currently twelve (12) Justices in the Court of Appeal, including the Deputy Chief Justice.   

Ayub