Kabale District | THE BLACK EXAMINER | Authorities in Kabale District have expressed growing concerns regarding the escalating instances of corruption among court clerks, compromising the delivery of justice to Ugandans.

During the Kabale High Court open day held at the high court premises on Kikungiri hill in Kabale Municipality, the Deputy Resident Commissioner, Andrew Ronald Bakak, brought attention to the worrisome trend. The event, themed “Enhancing Judicial Accountability and Access to Justice,” served as a platform to address these issues.

Bakak disclosed instances where court clerks, in an alarming display of corruption, seized clients’ files in an attempt to extort bribes. He cited a specific case where a suspect, having approached his office, was remanded to Ndorwa government Prison. However, whenever the suspect appeared in court, his file mysteriously went missing. Bakak emphasized that such actions result in a denial of justice to Ugandans and called for condemnation of such practices.

Highlighting the judicial landscape, Kabale High Court Judge, Justice Samuel Emokor, revealed that there are currently 587 pending cases across all categories at the high court level. Among these, 166 cases are classified as backlogs. Justice Emokor outlined the concerted efforts of the court and advocates to address this issue by enforcing the mandatory filing of mediation summaries along with normal pleadings.

In response to the concerns raised, Honorable Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, the Principal Judge of the high court of Uganda and the chief guest at the event, attributed the rise in corruption among court clerks to the public’s failure to report corrupt officials within the Judiciary.

The situation calls for collaborative efforts to curb corruption within the judicial system and ensure the fair and efficient delivery of justice to all.

As reported by: The Source Reports