Chief Justice receives report on massive case backlog

The committee appointed to investigate and make recommendations on how to reduce case backlog in courts has handed over its report to the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe at the Highcourt.

The nine- member committee headed by Court of Appeal Judge Richard Buteera revealed that there are over 37,8727 cases clogged in the judicial system with the highest number seen in the Chief Magistrate courts.

In its report , the committee has pointed out poor work attitudes and performance of Judicial officers, limited powers of lower courts, inadequate judicial staff and delays from advocates, litigants and witnesses as some of the reasons why cases take so long in the system.

The committee has now recommended that all courts should deliver overdue judgement by April 2017 and not in less than six months, that all judges should take back case files to be kept with the respective registries and expansion of justice centers to provide legal aid and reinstatement of Local council courts.

The committee also suggested that disciplinary action be taken against judicial officers who delay to deliver judgement , review all rules and procedures that cause delays and a monitoring team should be kept in place for judicial officers to act cautiously.

After receiving the committee’s report, Justice Katureebe commended the team for the comprehensive report and promised serve a copy of the recommendations to all heads of courts to have it studied and implement it.

Justice Katureebe also said judges who can’t write timely judgements should go for refresher courses.

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editor@independent.co.ug