Kampala– The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, where she reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to firm case management, judicial independence, staff wellness, and adequate resourcing for specialised courts.
Justice Abodo was received by the Head of the Division, Justice Michael Elubu, Justice David Makumbi, the Registrar High Court, HW Prossy Katushabe, the Acting Assistant Registrar of the Court, HW Patrick Talisuna, as well as judicial officers and staff attached to the Division.
During the visit, the Principal Judge toured the Division’s facilities, after which she held a meeting with judicial officers and staff to discuss the Division’s work, operational challenges, and service delivery.
Justice Elubu thanked her for the visit and the strong guidance provided, noting that the recognition and support from Judiciary leadership was encouraging to both judicial officers and staff.
He explained that the Division is a specialised criminal court handling corruption-related cases that present unique operational challenges. He noted that to improve service delivery, the Division established a Case Management Committee, which also functions as a stakeholders’ committee bringing together representatives from the Office of the Director of Public
Prosecutions, Uganda Law Society, Ministry of Ethics and Integrity, Transparency International, and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, among others. He added that a Bar-Bench Committee is also in place to strengthen collaboration between judicial officers and advocates.
Justice Elubu highlighted key innovations and needs at the Division, including stakeholder engagement to improve efficiency, and the urgent requirement for video conferencing facilities, document scanners, and projection equipment for court halls. Justice Elubu further revealed that the Division lacks an exhibit store, which has affected proper storage of exhibits and court archives.
On challenges, Justice Elubu noted that budget cuts have significantly affected operations, given the Division’s reliance on witnesses, assessors, and interpreters. He added that judicial officers frequently travel upcountry to conduct sessions, yet available funding cannot sustain extended sessions. He disclosed that the Division is currently handling between 330 and 350 cases, warning that reduced funding continues to impact effective case disposal.
Justice Abodo informed the meeting that the Judiciary had received the Division’s written report and would follow up on the issues raised. She explained that some matters would require intervention by the Human Resource and Engineering Departments and may take time, while others could be addressed immediately. She assured the Division that the issues would not be left pending and that follow-up action would be undertaken.
The Principal Judge acknowledged that the Anti-Corruption Division is a unique specialised criminal court and noted that recent budget cuts had affected the entire Judiciary. However, she emphasised that there are certain Divisions where funding should not be reduced, stressing that the “pulse of the institution” is case disposal. She observed that cutting funding to the Anti-Corruption Court while fighting corruption was counterproductive, and expressed optimism that such funding challenges would soon be resolved.
Justice Abodo also noted that the Division had been her professional home for nearly ten years, expressing excitement to return and appreciation for the work being done. She commended the Division for its strong performance, stating that the impact of its work is visible and critical to the Judiciary’s mandate.
Addressing judicial officers, she emphasised judge-led case management, strict control of adjournments, and adherence to clear timelines, cautioning that corruption cases often “die slowly” through delay.
