Masindi Inmates Petition Ntabgoba On Quick Trial

By Kyetume KasangaInmates in Masindi Prison have petitioned the Principal Judge, Justice Herbert Ntabgoba (pictured right), to facilitate their speedy trial in order to reduce overcrowding in the cells.In a statement The New Vision saw on Monday they said over 200 in-mates were committed to the High Court years ago but none had been produced for trial ever since.“Today we are over 200 committed cases and this has led to overcrowding, but in any case, when the High Court sits it only deals with 35 files,” the in-mates most of them on capital offenses said. “We appeal to the Principal Judge to consider our plight, otherwise the 200th inmate will take many more years to see justice,” they said. Traditionally, the High Court has been sitting once or twice a year in Masindi due to lack of judges. The Chief Magistrate’s Court is currently being expanded to accommodate a resident judge.The officer in charge of the prison, James Aisu, acknowledged overcrowding in the cells. He said the prison was designed to accommodate 209 inmates but now has over 500. Last, year the Austrian government funded renovation and expansion of the facility to accommodate at least 280 prisoners.Ends