Stakeholders Demand Permanent Nebbi High Court to Ease Severe Remand Delays

A dedicated criminal session has commenced at the High Court in Nebbi to hear 50 capital offence cases, prioritizing suspects who have spent over three years on remand. The month-long session addresses severe case backlogs that have left detention facilities severely congested.

Presiding over the session, Soroti High Court Judge Boniface Wamala noted that limited time for plea bargaining means the court will proceed directly to fixing hearing dates, with files slated for conclusion by December 4, 2026. Justice Wamala emphasized that cases involving individuals on remand for over three years without reliable witnesses should be dismissed to prevent further unnecessary delays.

The prolonged detention of capital offence suspects has heavily strained local facilities. Earnest Turyomungyendo, the Officer in Charge of Nebbi Government Prison, reported that most inmates have awaited trial for over two years, forcing authorities to transfer prisoners to Paidha, Pakwach, and Arua due to space constraints.

Families have felt the immense human cost of these systemic delays. Jimmy Ojok Awich, a 71-year-old resident, shared that his son was arrested in 2023 but never produced in court, causing financial hardship and distress as the complainant lost interest in the case.

To prevent recurring backlogs, local stakeholders are pushing for a permanent solution. Nebbi Resident District Commissioner Robert Abak urged the Judicial Service Commission to establish a resident High Court circuit in Nebbi, noting that relying on the Arua High Court burdens residents. He added that land has already been provided for the court’s construction.

Read more about this development in the Daily Monitor.