Kitgum, Uganda — The Kitgum High Court has successfully concluded a two-day Plea Bargaining Camp at Kitgum Prison, finalizing 25 cases in a bid to expedite justice and reduce prison overcrowding.
Resident Judge Justice Philip W. Mwaka, the Resident Judge, Kitgum High Court has concluded a two-day Plea Bargaining Camp at Kitgum Prison, with 25 cases successfully finalised as part of efforts to expedite justice and ease prison congestion within the circuit.
Held on March 24-25, 2026, the camp drew 87 inmates from Kitgum Prison and Gulu Main Prison, all eager to opt for plea bargains.
Resident Judge Justice Philip W. Mwaka assured them of the Court’s commitment to holding such camps on a monthly basis, saying the initiative is critical in decongesting prisons and reducing the backlog of pending criminal cases before the High Court.
Deputy Registrar HW Suzanne Aisia Musooli led the opening engagement, highlighting plea bargaining’s role in speeding up case resolution and promoting judicial efficiency and offender rehabilitation.
She assured inmates of the court’s readiness to continuously engage any person who voluntarily opts for the process, noting that plea bargaining promotes both judicial efficiency and offender rehabilitation.
Kitgum Prison’s Officer in Charge, Oguttu Robert, hailed the move, saying sustained plea bargain interventions would address overcrowding and promote timely justice delivery.
By the close of the Camp on March 25, 25 of the 57 inmates from Kitgum Prison who had registered for the exercise had their matters concluded through plea bargain.
The initiative brought together key justice actors, including Senior Resident State Attorney Patrick Ojara and State Attorney Ssozi Yusuf, with lawyers Sharon Awill and Gloria Akot on state brief.
