High Court of Uganda

The High Court of Uganda is the third court of record in order of hierarchy and has unlimited original jurisdiction, which means that it can try any case of any value or crime of any magnitude. Appeals from all Magistrates Courts go to the High Court. 

The High Court is headed by the Honorable Principal Judge who is responsible for the administration of the court and has supervisory powers over Magistrate's courts. 

Physical address
Plot 2, the Square Kampala
15 judgments

Court registries

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15 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
February 2026
The accused convicted of aggravated defilement based on credible victim identification and medical corroboration.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – proof beyond reasonable doubt – single witness identification and Nabulere caution – medical corroboration – rejection of animosity/motive defence.
19 February 2026
Digital tracking and recent possession of a stolen phone established the accused’s identity and supported a rape conviction.
Criminal law – Rape: elements (carnal knowledge, absence of consent, identity) – Circumstantial evidence and doctrine of recent possession – Digital forensics (IMEI, SIM and GPS tracking) – Loss of exhibit and admissibility of secondary evidence – Flight as corroboration.
19 February 2026
Recognition in daylight, corroborated by mother and medical evidence, established aggravated defilement; alibi rejected.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – proof of age and sexual act – identification by recognition in daylight – corroboration by mother and medical evidence – rejection of alibi.
18 February 2026
Conviction for aggravated defilement based on corroborated child testimony, medical evidence, and contradictory alibi.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – elements: victim under 14, sexual act, identity of perpetrator; unsworn child testimony corroboration; medical PF3A admitted by consent; alibi contradicted by cautioned statement.
17 February 2026
Court convicted the accused of rape, finding carnal knowledge, lack of consent, and reliable identification despite initial hesitation.
Criminal law – Rape: elements of carnal knowledge and non‑consent; identification evidence in darkness; single‑witness identification; victims’ trauma affecting testimony; bare denial insufficient to raise reasonable doubt.
17 February 2026
Conviction for aggravated defilement based on medical evidence, reliable victim identification, and corroborating recent complaint.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – Elements: victim under 14, sexual intercourse, identity of perpetrator; identification evidence–recognition, duration, proximity, recent complaint, medical corroboration.
17 February 2026
Single-witness identification and medical evidence sustain convictions for rape and attempted murder despite bare alibis.
Criminal law – Rape and Attempted Murder – single-witness identification – corroboration by medical and photographic evidence – inference of intent to kill from nature and location of injuries – inadequacy of bare alibi.
16 February 2026
Victim testimony and medical evidence proved aggravated defilement; reliable single‑witness identification and rejected alibi led to conviction.
Criminal law — Aggravated defilement — Elements: victim under 14, sexual act, accused's participation — Single‑witness identification: special caution — Corroboration by medical evidence — Alibi: burden and destruction by cogent evidence.
16 February 2026
Where deadly-weapon use is unproven, court may convict accused of lesser robbery; rape upheld on identification and medical evidence.
Criminal law – Aggravated robbery – failure to prove use or production of deadly weapon – conviction on lesser cognate offence (Simple Robbery); Identification evidence – single witness reliability where prior familiarity, prolonged close contact and lighting exist; Rape – carnal knowledge, absence of consent and medical corroboration.
16 February 2026
Acquittal where age and sexual act proved but prosecution failed to prove the accused's involvement beyond reasonable doubt.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement: elements (age, sexual act, identity) – Alibi defence and burden on prosecution – Identification evidence in bushy/low-visibility conditions – Motive from land dispute undermining credibility – Adverse inference for failure to call material witnesses.
13 February 2026
DNA exclusion and material witness contradictions created reasonable doubt, resulting in acquittal for aggravated defilement.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – identification of perpetrator – DNA paternity evidence excluding accused – material contradictions in witness testimony – burden of proof – reasonable doubt – acquittal.
12 February 2026
Accused convicted of two counts of aggravated defilement based on medical, identification, and corroborative evidence.
Criminal law — Aggravated defilement — child victims' unsworn testimony requiring corroboration — PF3A medical evidence — recognition identification under favourable conditions — flight and post-offence conduct as corroboration — trial judge may convict despite Assessors' contrary opinion.
12 February 2026
Accused convicted of aggravated defilement based on victim disclosure, medical evidence, identification and presence at the scene.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement – Elements: age, sexual act, perpetrator; Evidence – medical report (ruptured hymen, fresh sperm stains); Victim’s prompt out‑of‑court disclosure admissible and corroborative; Identification by prior acquaintance; Alibi and circumstantial evidence; Burden and standard of proof.
11 February 2026
January 2026
Annual practising licence requirement for health recruitment was lawful; consent judgment did not waive it; application dismissed.
Employment law – Recruitment criteria – Annual practising licence requirement – Interpretation of Consent Judgment – Judicial review – Remedies refused – Prospective application of revised guidance.
20 January 2026
Applicant’s challenge to district recruitment dismissed; assignment irregularity not fatal, candidate’s qualification challenge without merit.
Administrative law – judicial review of district recruitment – assignment vs appointment of Secretary to District Service Commission – procedural propriety, exhaustion of remedies; qualifications challenge and merits of prerogative remedies (certiorari, prohibition, directory order).
20 January 2026