By Deogratius Nshekanabo
Rukungiri
In a significant development, Judge Tom Chemutai of the Rukungiri District High Court is set to preside over cases in Kanungu District for the very first time, starting from today.
This exciting news was disclosed by Nantamu Oliver, the Assistant Registrar of Rukungiri High Court, during an interview with our reporter at her office earlier today.
It is worth noting that Rukungiri District High Court was inaugurated in November last year, taking over cases that were previously handled by the Kabale and Mbarara High Courts. The establishment of this court in Rukungiri was a deliberate move to bring justice closer to the people, sparing them the inconvenience of undertaking long journeys.
Judge Chemutai’s upcoming session is expected to address a total of 43 cases during a month-long period. This caseload comprises 20 murder cases, 5 cases of rape, 15 cases of aggravated defilement, 2 cases of aggravated robbery, and 2 kidnapping cases.
The duration of this session, spanning over a month, is poised to provide a ray of hope for the timely resolution of these 43 cases. A total of 60 suspects are slated to appear before Judge Chemutai, with a majority having endured extended periods on bail. Among these individuals, 54 are males, while the remaining 5 are females.
It’s important to note that the cases to be addressed date back to incidents that occurred since 2019. The primary objective of this session is to afford the accused individuals their rightful freedom and ensure that their rights are upheld without any violations.
Nantamu emphasized that this move signifies the successful decentralization of justice, making it more accessible to the local population. With Rukungiri District High Court in operation and now extending its reach to Kanungu, it eliminates the need for people to travel long distances to access justice services, formerly requiring them to journey to Kabale or Mbarara.
