Participants at the Plea Bargaining Awards
KAMPALA: Senior Judicial Officials were recognized for their individual roles in promoting Plea Bargaining in Uganda's Criminal Justice System.
The recipients of the different sudreau Global Justice Program awards include the Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Dr Yorokamu Bamwine, Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Lady Justice Stella Arach Amoko and Masindi Resident Judge, Hon. Justice Rugadya Atwoki among others.
The awards were the climax of the fifth National Plea Bargaining Conference held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
The quick access to justice initiative was introduced in Uganda in 2014 as a case backlog reduction intervention that focuses on the accused owning up criminal responsibility with a view of engaging with prosecution to negotiate a reasonable sentence.
The Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Dr Yorokamu Bamwine, received the Sudreau Global Justice Programme Award as "Mr Plea Bargaining" for spearheading efforts to roll-out the initiative since 2014 when it was piloted.
Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Lady Justice Stella Arach Amoko, was awarded the Sudreau Global Justice Programme Award for her invaluable contribution in the prison camps.
Retired Judge of the High Court, Hon. Lady Justice Elizabeth Nahamya, got the Sudreau Global Justice Program Award for being First Lady Judge, among five judges who piloted Plea Bargaining in 2014.
Retired Judge, Hon. Justice Lameck Mukasa was awarded the Sudreau Global Justice Program Award for pioneering Juvenile Plea Bargaining sessions code named J-Faster.
Masindi Resident Judge, Hon. Justice Rugadya Atwoki was recognized for his invaluable contribution in the early inception of Plea Bargaining.
A posthumous Sudreau Global Justice Program Award was given to the late Ms Joan Kagezi for being the pioneer lady prosecutor in Plea Bargaining matters.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Conference, the Principal Judge commended the late Ms Kagezi for having lived for justice that even in death her dedication was being recognized.
He also extended his gratitude to the retired Justices Lameck Mukasa and Elizabeth Nahamya for supporting the programme.
He thanked Pepperdine University and Prof Danny DeWalt, the Vice President and Chief of Staff at the university for the continued support to JLOS to roll-out Plea Bargaining.
Posted 27th, June 2019
