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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.
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https://judiciary.go.ug/data/smenu/13/Criminal%20Division.html
7 judgments
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7 judgments
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September 2025
Mugisha Amos and Others v Uganda (Criminal Appeal No. 52 of 2021) [2025] UGHCCRD 40 (24 September 2025)
First appellate court quashes two false-cheque convictions for lack of produced cheques but upholds fraud and conspiracy convictions, reducing compensation to proven loss.
Criminal law – issuing false cheques – requirement to produce cheques in evidence to prove issuance and dishonour. Criminal law – obtaining money by false pretences – circumstantial evidence and signed agreement sufficient to prove receipt and intent to defraud. Criminal law – conspiracy – inferable from conduct; role of guarantor in scheme. Sentencing – compensation must reflect proven loss; remand time to be taken into account.
 24 September 2025
Lubega Nagibuh v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 427 of 2024) [2025] UGHCCRD 42 (18 September 2025)
Bail denied where applicant failed to prove non‑abscondment and comply with mandatory identification and surety requirements.
Criminal procedure – Mandatory bail – Article 23(6)(a) Constitution and Trial on Indictments Act ss.15–16 – applicant must show exceptional circumstances or prove he will not abscond – factors include fixed abode and sound sureties – compliance with Bail Guidelines (national ID, introductory letter) mandatory – court discretion to deny bail despite prolonged remand.
 18 September 2025
Safina Kigambo and Another v Uganda (Miscellaneous Application 29 of 2024) [2025] UGHCCRD 41 (18 September 2025)
Court dismissed application to revise noise and nuisance charges and refused stay or nullity; trial to proceed expeditiously.
Criminal procedure – revision of magistrates' proceedings; noise regulation – Section 107 National Environment Act; common nuisance – Section 160 Penal Code; stays and nullity – supervisory jurisdiction under Section 17 Judicature Act; prosecutorial independence under Article 120; interlocutory restraint (Kamoga Muhamedi v Uganda; Sarah Kulata Basangwa v Uganda).
 18 September 2025
Uganda v Mubiru Joseph Alias Madox and Others (Criminal Session Case No. I31 of 2021) [2025] UGHCCRD 39 (17 September 2025)
Court convicted two accused of aggravated robbery on reliable identification and weapon evidence; a co-accused was acquitted.
Criminal law – Aggravated robbery – elements: taking property, use/threat of deadly weapon, participation; Identification evidence – quality factors (illumination, proximity, duration, opportunity to observe) – reliable identification may support conviction; Medical evidence corroborates use of deadly weapon; Insufficient evidence requires acquittal of a co-accused.
 17 September 2025
Aisha Kubiita v Uganda (Criminal Appeal No. 104 of 2022) [2025] UGHCCRD 63 (14 September 2025)
Appellant’s convictions for obtaining registration by false pretences and fraudulent procurement of title are upheld; appeal dismissed.
Criminal law – Obtaining registration by false pretences (s312 PCA); Fraudulent procurement of certificate of title (s190(1) RTA); proof requires procurement, wilfulness and false representation; possession as equitable title and corroborative documents; procedural compliance with particulars of grounds on appeal (Section 28(4) CPC); appellate review of sentence.
 14 September 2025
Zizinga Bulasio Ssebugwawo v Uganda (Criminal Miscellaneous Application 72 of 2025) [2025] UGHCCRD 38 (8 September 2025)
Applicant granted bail; medical condition not exceptional and sureties/fixed abode allayed absconding risk.
Criminal procedure — Bail — Application under Article 23(6) and sections 15–16 Trial on Indictments Act — Exceptional circumstances (medical) — Fixed abode and sureties — Risk of absconding — Bail Guidelines 2022.
 8 September 2025
Uganda v Mawejje Abdul (Criminal Session Case 701 of 2022) [2025] UGHCCRD 47 (5 September 2025)
Court imposed lengthy concurrent terms for aggravated trafficking and aggravated defilement of a six-year-old, deducting remand time.
Criminal law – Aggravated defilement and aggravated trafficking – Victim age and severity of injuries as principal aggravating factors; sentencing range and deterrence considerations. Plea of guilty – Validity after prima facie case established; change of plea not automatically mitigating. Mitigation – First offender status weighed against brutality and permanence of harm. Sentencing – Concurrent terms for offences arising from single transaction; remand deduction; right to appeal sentence only.
 5 September 2025