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HC: Criminal Division (Uganda)

The Criminal Division is Responsible for hearing all serious criminal offences referred to it by the Magistrates' Courts. According to the Principal Judge's Circular, except for Commercial Court Judges who must attend to only Commercial Court cases, the rest of the Judges of the High Court who are based in Kampala are members of the Criminal Division irrespective of the other Divisions of the High Court that they belong to.

Each of the above judges is supposed to do, at least, one High Court Criminal Session in a year at Kampala

Physical address
High Court Building at Plot 2, the Square.
Visit website
https://judiciary.go.ug/data/smenu/13/Criminal%20Division.html
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December 2025
Col. (Rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye and Another v Uganda (Criminal Application No. 814 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 67 (29 December 2025)
A direct constitutional petition does not automatically stay criminal proceedings; stay and bail are discretionary and were denied here.
Constitutional petition – direct petition to Constitutional Court does not automatically stay trial – stay of proceedings discretionary and to be exercised sparingly; Bail – discretionary, requires demonstration of exceptional circumstances; Plea taking should precede consideration of stay.
 29 December 2025
Ssekatwa Alex v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 777 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 64 (22 December 2025)
Bail for a death‑penalty offence requires statutory "exceptional circumstances"; prior dismissal means new evidence is needed.
Criminal law – Bail pending trial – Aggravated robbery carrying possible death sentence – Section 15 Trial on Indictment Act requires exceptional circumstances for bail – Fixed abode and sureties insufficient – Subsequent bail applications require fresh material – Presumption of innocence relevant but not overriding.
 22 December 2025
Mbazira Farouk v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 787 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 70 (11 December 2025)
Applicant for bail in a capital offence failed to show exceptional circumstances required for release.
Criminal law – Bail pending trial – Capital offences – Section 16(1)(o) and (3) Trial on Indictments Act – Exceptional circumstances required – Fixed abode and sureties insufficient.
 11 December 2025
Kabonge Erickson and Another v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 680 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 65 (4 December 2025)
Bail for aggravated robbery punishable by death refused absent statutory "exceptional circumstances," despite sureties and fixed abode.
Bail — aggravated robbery punishable by death — Trial on Indictment Act s.15(3)-(4) — statutory "exceptional circumstances" required (grave illness, advanced age, DPP certificate) — fixed abode and sureties insufficient — discretion to refuse bail after committal.
 4 December 2025
Sserugo Apoto v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 704 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 66 (4 December 2025)
Applicant in a capital case failed to prove exceptional circumstances required for bail under the Trial on Indictments Act.
Bail — capital offences — exceptional circumstances required under Section 16(3) Trial on Indictments Act — right to bail vs. interests of justice — pre-trial detention and speedy trial.
 4 December 2025