Ogoola raps courts over time-keeping
Sep 10, 2009
ONE of the biggest problems in Ugandan courts is poor time management by judicial officers, the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, has noted
ONE of the biggest problems in Ugandan courts is poor time management by judicial officers, the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, has noted, reports Frank Mugabi.
Ogoola said his office had received numerous complaints against judicial officers who do not keep time, especially in upcountry magistrates’ courts.
“Instead of arriving on duty at 8:00am, they come at 11:00am and leave by 3:00pm,†Ogoola said. “It gets worse on Fridays and Mondays. They report after midday, only to adjourn cases and engage in other criminal acts.â€
He warned that his office was taking steps against such persons who spoil the name of the Judiciary.
Ogoola, who was addressing West Nile leaders at the White Castle Hotel in Arua town last week, urged the public to report officers who misuse court time.
He promised to keep the confidentiality of the whistleblowers. Presenting a paper on case management and scheduling judicial work, Ogoola also took a swipe at advocates who evade important issues and concentrate on trivial ones when arguing cases in court.
“They keep evading the heart of the dispute by putting premium on technicality and not substantiality. This bogs down the system with delays, which leads to a pile of cases.
“This results in jails overflowing with a population that probably shouldn’t be there and the rights of citizens being trampled upon,†Ogoola observed.
He noted that it was not unusual to have innocent suspects spending nine years on remand. Ogoola encouraged judges to read through case files and understand the major issues of the dispute before going to court so as to minimise adjournments.
He said adjournments were mainly caused by lack of preparation by judges. “Lawyers and prosecutors will always concoct any number excuses for an adjournment, but a prepared judge will be able to tell the truths from the lies,†he explained.
Ogoola said his office had received numerous complaints against judicial officers who do not keep time, especially in upcountry magistrates’ courts.
“Instead of arriving on duty at 8:00am, they come at 11:00am and leave by 3:00pm,†Ogoola said. “It gets worse on Fridays and Mondays. They report after midday, only to adjourn cases and engage in other criminal acts.â€
He warned that his office was taking steps against such persons who spoil the name of the Judiciary.
Ogoola, who was addressing West Nile leaders at the White Castle Hotel in Arua town last week, urged the public to report officers who misuse court time.
He promised to keep the confidentiality of the whistleblowers. Presenting a paper on case management and scheduling judicial work, Ogoola also took a swipe at advocates who evade important issues and concentrate on trivial ones when arguing cases in court.
“They keep evading the heart of the dispute by putting premium on technicality and not substantiality. This bogs down the system with delays, which leads to a pile of cases.
“This results in jails overflowing with a population that probably shouldn’t be there and the rights of citizens being trampled upon,†Ogoola observed.
He noted that it was not unusual to have innocent suspects spending nine years on remand. Ogoola encouraged judges to read through case files and understand the major issues of the dispute before going to court so as to minimise adjournments.
He said adjournments were mainly caused by lack of preparation by judges. “Lawyers and prosecutors will always concoct any number excuses for an adjournment, but a prepared judge will be able to tell the truths from the lies,†he explained.