Plea bargain camp in Lira concludes 94 cases
The exercise, which covered case files from Lira Main Prison and Oyam Prison, was part of the Judiciary’s ongoing efforts to promote alternative dispute resolution and reduce case backlog in the criminal justice system.
Plea bargain camp in Lira concludes 94 cases
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LIRA – A total of 237 inmates were enrolled in a Plea Bargain Camp conducted at the Lira High Court in October 2025, under the supervision of Registrar of Lira High Court Circuit Godfrey Kaweesa.
The exercise, which covered case files from Lira Main Prison and Oyam Prison, was part of the Judiciary’s ongoing efforts to promote alternative dispute resolution and reduce case backlog in the criminal justice system.
According to Sheila Wamboga, the Principal Communications Officer at the Judiciary of Uganda, the camp handled 155 case files from Lira and 82 from Oyam, covering a range of capital offences including murder, aggravated robbery, rape, aggravated defilement, manslaughter, and trafficking in persons.
In total, the files comprised 90 cases of murder, 57 of aggravated robbery, 40 of rape, 46 of aggravated defilement, seven of aggravated trafficking, two of arson, and one case each of aggravated homosexuality, unnatural offences, and being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Out of these, 94 cases were successfully concluded, while 23 inmates opted out of the plea bargaining process.
Three Judges led the sessions
Wamboga said the sessions were presided over by three judicial officers, Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha, Lady Justice Margaret Apiny, and Lady Justice Sarah Birungi Kalibbala.
Their interventions resulted in a range of outcomes, including convictions with reduced sentences, sentences equivalent to time already spent on remand, and in some cases, nolle prosequi (withdrawal of charges).
Justice Prof. Khaukha handled 26 cases, Lady Justice Apiny presided over 47, while Lady Justice Kalibbala managed 38.
Lady Justice Apiny oversaw a significant portion of cases involving aggravated defilement, robbery, and murder, handing down sentences ranging between two and 18 years, some running concurrently across multiple counts.
Lady Justice Kalibbala presided over cases involving both adults and juveniles, issuing juvenile-appropriate sentences that considered the time already spent on remand.