Justice Ogoola decries cyber crime
Oct 14, 2008
Principle Judge Justice James Ogoola has decried the increase in cyber crime and has urged judges to undergo specialised training to handle such cases.
By Josephine Maseruka
Principle Judge Justice James Ogoola has decried the increase in cyber crime and has urged judges to undergo specialised training to handle such cases.
Presenting a paper at Hotel Royale in Kampala on Friday, Ogoola also called for de-congestion of prisons.
He said the Constitution was amended to reduce the days of detention from 360 to 180 for capital offences and to 120 for minor offences.
Ogoola said de-congestion of prisons is the responsibility of the Judiciary and groups like the Police, prosecutors and defence lawyers, the Inspectorate of Government and the Directorate of Prosecution.
“Our advisory system allows prosecutors and defence lawyers to throw missiles at each other in court as they look for the best weaponry, which technicalities, mainly from the defence, result in delayed justice.â€
Ogoola said because a High Court session costs about sh15m, they have resorted to mini-sessions where a judge works for two weeks.
“I recently conducted a mini-session in Lira where there were 500 inmates. In two weeks, I managed to conclude 200 cases, not because I am a genius or a wizard, but because under this system, the Uganda Prison Service advised inmates to plead guilty and get a smaller penalty.â€
Asked if that is a just way to handle cases, Ogoola said: “This is voluntary, no one is forced. If you know you are guilty, why spend six years instead of a few months when you plead guilty.â€
Ogoola said with mini-sessions, those who plead guilty benefit more than those who do not because their cases are handled first. He added that they were now handling all cases at the same time so that either side gets an equal share.
Ogoola said they were studying the ‘plea-bargaining system,†where in case of aggravated robbery of a bank, a suspect who provides information about the crime can get a smaller penalty.
Principle Judge Justice James Ogoola has decried the increase in cyber crime and has urged judges to undergo specialised training to handle such cases.
Presenting a paper at Hotel Royale in Kampala on Friday, Ogoola also called for de-congestion of prisons.
He said the Constitution was amended to reduce the days of detention from 360 to 180 for capital offences and to 120 for minor offences.
Ogoola said de-congestion of prisons is the responsibility of the Judiciary and groups like the Police, prosecutors and defence lawyers, the Inspectorate of Government and the Directorate of Prosecution.
“Our advisory system allows prosecutors and defence lawyers to throw missiles at each other in court as they look for the best weaponry, which technicalities, mainly from the defence, result in delayed justice.â€
Ogoola said because a High Court session costs about sh15m, they have resorted to mini-sessions where a judge works for two weeks.
“I recently conducted a mini-session in Lira where there were 500 inmates. In two weeks, I managed to conclude 200 cases, not because I am a genius or a wizard, but because under this system, the Uganda Prison Service advised inmates to plead guilty and get a smaller penalty.â€
Asked if that is a just way to handle cases, Ogoola said: “This is voluntary, no one is forced. If you know you are guilty, why spend six years instead of a few months when you plead guilty.â€
Ogoola said with mini-sessions, those who plead guilty benefit more than those who do not because their cases are handled first. He added that they were now handling all cases at the same time so that either side gets an equal share.
Ogoola said they were studying the ‘plea-bargaining system,†where in case of aggravated robbery of a bank, a suspect who provides information about the crime can get a smaller penalty.