Kabale High Court to Hear 59 Cases in July Prison Session

Kabale High Court is set to tackle a significant number of criminal cases with a special in-house prison session commencing on July 1, 2026. A total of 59 cases, involving both male and female inmates and spanning offenses from 2021 to 2026, will be heard.

Resident Judge Justice Karoli Lwanga Ssemogerere recently visited Ndorwa Main Prison to personally assess the readiness for this initiative. This visit is part of a broader effort by the Judiciary to expedite legal processes and ensure that inmates have better access to justice services.

The delegation accompanying Justice Ssemogerere included key judicial and legal officials, such as Assistant Registrar Kenneth Tumwebaze and State Prosecutor Isaac Onyango. They were met by the Officer-in-Charge of Ndorwa Main Prison, Julius Kisembo, who lauded the court’s commitment to bringing justice closer to the incarcerated.

During discussions, inmates presented a memorandum highlighting concerns over long-pending cases, some dating back to 2021. They urged the court to prioritize these older matters during the upcoming session.

Assistant Registrar Tumwebaze explained the court’s ‘first-in, first-out’ approach to case scheduling, which generally prioritizes older cases. He also encouraged inmates eligible for plea bargaining to utilize this mechanism to speed up the resolution of their cases, noting that such cases often receive priority.

Justice Ssemogerere acknowledged that Ndorwa Main Prison has approximately 320 criminal cases awaiting trial, making it impossible to clear all of them in a single session. He cautioned inmates against misusing the plea bargaining process by seeking a court date without genuine intent to admit guilt.

The judge also reminded inmates that bail remains an option for those who meet the legal criteria. The offenses slated for the July session include serious crimes such as murder, rape, aggravated defilement, and aggravated robbery.

Source: Nile Post