The High Court in Kitgum has concluded 25 criminal cases through a two-day plea bargaining camp conducted inside Kitgum Prison, in a move aimed at reducing case backlog and prison congestion.

The exercise was led by Philip W. Mwaka, the Resident Judge of the High Court circuit, who said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to speed up justice and reduce the number of inmates on remand.

The plea bargaining camp, held on March 24 and 25, involved 87 inmates from the High Court circuit, including 57 inmates from Kitgum Prison and 30 from Gulu Main Prison, all of whom had expressed interest in negotiating plea agreements.

By the end of the exercise, 25 cases involving inmates from Kitgum Prison were successfully concluded through plea agreements, allowing the court to dispose of cases faster without full trials.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Deputy Registrar Suzanne Aisia Musooli opened the session by explaining the legal significance of plea bargaining, emphasizing that the process is voluntary and helps speed up case resolution while also supporting rehabilitation of offenders.

Justice Mwaka said the initiative is important in addressing two major challenges in the justice system -- prison congestion and the backlog of criminal cases.

The camp brought together several justice sector officials, including Senior Resident State Attorney Patrick Ojara, State Attorney Yusuf Ssozi, and defence lawyers Sharon Awill and Gloria Akot.

Kitgum Prison Officer in Charge Robert Ogutti welcomed the initiative, saying regular plea bargaining sessions would help reduce overcrowding in prisons while ensuring faster delivery of justice.

The Judiciary has increasingly relied on plea bargaining in recent years as one of the measures to reduce case backlog and the number of inmates who spend long periods on remand awaiting trial.