JLOS calls for funding of mobile courts in refugee settlements
May 31, 2019
Arua High Court circuit adopted the mobile court mechanism after realising the challenges refugees face to access justice in the formal courts.
MOBILE COURTS
ARUA- The judicial service and order sector in Arua has called for funding of mobile courts in refugee settlements to reduce case backlog.
Arua High Court circuit adopted the mobile court mechanism after realising the challenges refugees face to access justice in the formal courts.
The resident state attorney Arua, Harriet Adubango said some refugees have failed to access justice due to the long distances from the settlements to the refugee camps.
The refugees are so far away from us that we can't get them to sit with us so that we can easily understand the case from the witness perspective", she said.
She said even after the introduction of mobile courts, the distances are far that it takes time for them to reach and thoroughly interact with the witnesses.
She suggested that there is a need to establish permanent mobile courts in the refugee settlements to reduce the financial burden.
The grade one magistrate Arua, Swaleh Asiku said urban refugees have access to court proceedings whereas the refugees in the camps are unable to access justice due to logistical and transport challenges.
"We have dismissed cases of refugee suspects involved in crime due to unavailability of the witnesses to testify in court", he revealed.
He also added that granting bail to refugee suspects is challenging because they need surety which therefore calls for mobile courts so that it is easy to find the witnesses to testify in the cases.
"Judiciary has never budgeted for mobile courts, we depend on the mercy of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and other partners for funding meant for transport", he said.
The senior legal officer, International rescue committee, Beatrice Muwil said they have been at the forefront of conducting mobile courts which has helped to provide access to justice to the victims and the suspects.
She said due to the organizational strategy of focusing more on victims they subcontracted the legal aid project, Uganda law society to legally represent refugee suspects in the courts of law together with 45 paralegals in the refugee communities.
Susan Moriku, the refugee welfare officer, LMVEPI said transport and logistical challenges have hindered refugees from attending court sessions of their relatives.
She said there is a need to increase court sessions in the camps or establish permanent courts so that other refugees are challenged to prevent engaging in criminal activities that can easily take them to court.
Diria Reida, a resident of Ocea, Rhino camp said mobile courts have helped to access justice in the settlement because some residents complained of transport challenges to go to Arua for the sessions.
The LC5 chairperson Arua, Sam Wadri Nyakua called for increased mobile court sessions in the refugee settlements.
"Uganda has a weakness of administering criminal justice system from the police, directorate of public prosecutions to the courts of law, if the challenges are addressed we will have a breathing space", he emphasised.
He also mentioned that case backlog is alarming as petty offences are more in number compared to capital offences.
The refugee desk officer, Office of the Prime Minister, Arua Solomon Osakan said they will continue to operationalise mobile courts in the refugee settlements.
He said decentralization of local governments like Madi Okollo district that will operationalise this coming financial year and Terego in 2020/2021 financial year will also bear other courts in those areas that will become near to the refugees.