Backlog: 132 cases resolved in one week under plea bargain

What the report says

Uganda’s Judiciary says alternative dispute resolution and plea bargain exercises helped clear at least 132 cases in one week as part of efforts to reduce court backlog and ease pressure on prisons. The Observer reports that the interventions were carried out in several prison facilities, with Kigo Main Prison and Butuntumula Prison accounting for a large share of the disposed cases.

At Kigo Main Prison, a three-day mini plea bargain camp held from September 28 to October 1 led to 26 accused people being convicted and sentenced. At Butuntumula Prison, another session concluded 40 cases in a single day. Together, those two exercises resolved 66 cases. The report says more than 100 inmates took part at Butuntumula, while at Kigo the cases were finalized through plea agreements approved by court.

Chief Magistrate Esther Adikini of Luweero said the process aligns with the Judicature (Plea Bargain) Rules, 2016, which are intended to make criminal justice more efficient, orderly, predictable and timely. Prison officials at Butuntumula also welcomed the initiative and urged that such sessions be held regularly to help reduce prolonged remand and overcrowding.

The article also notes that more prison-based plea bargain camps are planned in other parts of Uganda, including Nakasongola, Arua, Jinja, Soroti, Kumi and Mbale in October 2026. In general, plea bargaining allows an accused person and prosecutors, with victim input and court oversight, to agree on a sentence.