By KT Reporter
The Kitgum High Court Circuit has released its first-year performance report, revealing that it inherited 851 cases from the Gulu High Court Circuit and registered 1,137 new cases since its establishment on March 11, 2024. According to Resident Judge Phillips Willebrord Mwaka, the court has made significant progress in managing its caseload despite the challenges posed by the inherited cases.
“The court has worked tirelessly to clear the backlog of cases inherited from Gulu High Court Circuit,” Mwaka said. “We have also registered 1,137 new cases, which is a testament to the growing trust in the court by the people of Kitgum and surrounding districts.”
Mwaka made these remarks during a Baraza organized by the Judicial Service Commission at Kitgum Public Primary School playground in Kitgum Municipality on Wednesday. Of the 1,137 registered cases, 1,003 remain pending, while 367 have been concluded. The concluded cases include 167 criminal cases, 38 civil cases, six family cases, 143 land cases, and 12 cases transferred from lower courts to the High Court.
Pending cases are dominated by criminal matters, with 524 registered, followed by 125 civil cases, 34 family cases, 14 commercial cases, 103 land cases, and three execution cases. Mwaka attributed the high number of criminal cases to the court’s efforts to combat crime in the region.
“The court has taken a strong stance against crime, and this is reflected in the number of criminal cases registered,” he said. During the same event, Agnes Ayo, Legal Officer of the Judicial Service Commission, emphasized the importance of transparency in court transactions. She urged court users to ensure that all payments made at court are properly receipted to prevent suspicions of corruption.
“Any payments at court that are in the form of cash must be receipted or acknowledged in any way,” Ayo said. This initiative is part of the commission’s broader efforts to promote transparency and accountability within the judiciary. The Kitgum High Court Circuit serves the districts of Kitgum, Pader, Agago, Lamwo, and Karenga. Looking ahead, Mwaka stressed the need for continued collaboration between justice sector actors to ensure the effective administration of justice-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
