Authorities at Masaka Main Prison have appealed to the Judiciary to introduce special court sessions that prioritise the speedy trial of elderly inmates, citing the growing challenge of managing aged prisoners with health complications.
Gerald Okabo, the Deputy Officer in Charge of Masaka Main Prison, made the plea to the Acting Principal Judge, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, during her visit to the facility to launch a plea-bargaining court session, one of the judiciary’s strategies to reduce the case backlog. Under the plea-bargaining arrangement, an accused person voluntarily pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Okabo noted that many elderly inmates face declining health and psychological challenges that worsen during prolonged remand periods. He explained that most of them are petty offenders who could easily be handled through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, but the justice system tends to follow a rigid sequence based on when cases were filed.
He, therefore, appealed to the Acting Principal Judge to consider an operational review that would allow judicial officers to give priority to elderly inmates, either by organising special sessions for them or giving them exceptional consideration during normal court sittings. In addition, Okabo urged the Judiciary to dismiss cases where witnesses have repeatedly failed to appear in court, arguing that such measures would help to decongest prisons and promote efficiency in case management.
Meanwhile, Alexander Lule, the Chairperson of Masaka Lawyers Guild, echoed Okabo’s appeal, calling on the Principal Judge to push for the recruitment of more state attorneys and to empower police prosecutors to handle criminal cases more efficiently.
He noted that many courts in the sub-region are overwhelmed by case files that remain unresolved due to the shortage of prosecutors, which undermines the timely delivery of justice.
Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba, the Masaka High Court Resident Judge, emphasised the need for close collaboration among all actors in the Justice, Law and Order Sector (JLOS) to address the persistent problem of prison congestion.
She advised prison authorities to engage regularly with court registrars and legal aid service providers to ensure that inmates who have stayed longer on remand are included in cause lists.
In her response, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to implementing reforms that improve access to justice and enhance efficiency in case disposal. She, however, urged judges and magistrates to be proactive and ready to try cases continuously, instead of waiting for designated sessions, to help clear the backlog and deliver justice to both the accused and society.
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