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Lira High Court lists 65 serious criminal cases for plea bargain session
According to the official cause list, Justice Apiny is handling 30 cases involving 35 accused persons, while Justice Kalibbala is presiding over 35 cases involving 36 accused persons.
Lira High Court lists 65 serious criminal cases for plea bargain session
By: Hudson Apunyo, Journalist @New Vision
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LIRA CITY — The High Court in Lira has listed 65 serious criminal cases involving 71 accused persons for a special plea bargain session as the Judiciary steps up efforts to reduce case backlog and expedite the disposal of capital offences in Lango sub-region.
The session, presided over by Judges; Sarah Birungi Kalibbala (Resident Judge) and Margaret Apiny (Senior Resident Judge), was initially scheduled for July 30 and 31, but has extended into August due to the volume of cases.
According to the official cause list, Justice Apiny is handling 30 cases involving 35 accused persons, while Justice Kalibbala is presiding over 35 cases involving 36 accused persons.
The docket is dominated by some of the region's most serious offences, including 22 murder cases, 13 rape cases, 13 aggravated defilement cases, and three cases of aggravated trafficking in children. Most of the accused persons are young people.
The plea bargain session comes immediately after the conclusion of an extensive criminal trial session in which the two judges handled about 100 criminal cases through full hearings.
The docket is dominated by some of the region's most serious offences, including 22 murder cases, 13 rape cases, 13 aggravated defilement cases, and three cases of aggravated trafficking in children. Most of the accused persons are young people.
The plea bargain session comes immediately after the conclusion of an extensive criminal trial session in which the two judges handled about 100 criminal cases through full hearings.
During that trial session, a statement from the judiciary said, a significant number of accused persons opted to abandon contested trials and instead entered plea bargain agreements, pleading guilty in exchange for reduced charges or lighter sentences negotiated with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, subject to court approval.
Judicial officials said plea bargaining has become an important tool in accelerating the administration of justice by reducing lengthy trials, easing prison congestion, sparing victims and witnesses the trauma of prolonged court proceedings, and enabling courts to dispose of cases more efficiently.
The latest cause list was signed by the Assistant Registrar of the High Court in Lira and circulated to key judicial stakeholders, including the Principal Judge, Chief Registrar, Resident Judge, Senior Resident Judge, Registrar of the High Court in Kampala, and advocates assigned to represent accused persons on state brief.
"The ongoing plea bargain session is expected to conclude several long-pending criminal cases, further easing the heavy caseload at the High Court Circuit serving the Lango sub-region," the judiciary stated.
Judicial officials said plea bargaining has become an important tool in accelerating the administration of justice by reducing lengthy trials, easing prison congestion, sparing victims and witnesses the trauma of prolonged court proceedings, and enabling courts to dispose of cases more efficiently.
The latest cause list was signed by the Assistant Registrar of the High Court in Lira and circulated to key judicial stakeholders, including the Principal Judge, Chief Registrar, Resident Judge, Senior Resident Judge, Registrar of the High Court in Kampala, and advocates assigned to represent accused persons on state brief.
"The ongoing plea bargain session is expected to conclude several long-pending criminal cases, further easing the heavy caseload at the High Court Circuit serving the Lango sub-region," the judiciary stated.