The Judiciary says it has saved about Shs2.16 billion in just 11 days following the rollout of daily non-capital plea-bargain hearings across the Kampala Metropolitan Area, in a move officials say has sharply reduced case backlog and eased prison congestion.
The programme, which began on April 8, is part of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) reforms aimed at speeding up justice delivery and lowering the cost of inmate maintenance.
Officials say government spends about Shs30,000 per day on each prisoner covering food, water, electricity and medical care, making backlog reduction a major cost-saving priority.
According to data from the ADR registry, about 1,200 cases have so far been handled — including 966 cases at the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) in Nakawa and 234 cases across 14 participating courts.
The initiative has also reduced numbers at Kampala Remand Prison from about 2,800 inmates to 1,600 within 11 days, officials said.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for 20 elders trained in ADR at Makerere University at the weekend, Prof Justice Andrew Khaukha, representing Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, defended the reforms, saying they reduce costs and improve access to justice.
He cautioned law enforcement agencies against overuse of remand for minor offences.
An ADR registrar, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Kampala Remand Prison, designed for about 600 inmates, had been holding up to 2,800 people before the rollout.
The Judiciary says the plea-bargain initiative targets clearance of at least 2,000 cases by July 2026.
ABOUT SHS 2.16B SAVED IN 11DAYS DURING PLEA-BARGAIN OF CASES
