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.
1,817 judgments
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1,817 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2025
Criminal Procedure – Recusal – Judicial Impartiality – Reasonable Apprehension of Bias – Private Prosecution – Prima Facie Case – Stay of Proceedings – Double Reasonableness Test
18 June 2025
Bail pending appeal granted where non-violent conviction, fixed abode, compliant history and substantial sureties reduce flight risk.
Bail pending appeal; discretion under Trial on Indictment Act and Constitution; Bail Guidelines (Practice Directions 2022); factors: character, fixed abode, non-violent offence, appeal not frivolous, risk of delay; substantial sureties; non-cash bond conditions.
18 June 2025
Private prosecution—revision—allegations of forgery and uttering false documents by advocates—trial magistrate failed to consult local chief adequately and lacked basis for prima facie case—irregular charge sheet not signed by magistrate—Chief Magistrate’s order quashed
2 June 2025
May 2025
Appellate court reduced excessive ten-year sentence after finding failure to allow challenge to evidence and failure to deduct remand time.
Criminal law – Sentencing – Magistrate’s inquiries under section 133(2) – accused’s right to be heard and to challenge testimony relied upon at sentencing. Sentencing – Remand period – mandatory mathematical deduction from custodial sentence; ambiguity in general statements unacceptable. Sentencing appeals – appellate interference where wrong principle, failure to consider material facts, or manifestly excessive sentence. Wildlife offences – aggravating factor: protection of endangered species and need for deterrent sentences.
15 May 2025
Criminal Law—Obtaining registration by false pretences—Section 292 Penal Code Act—land transfer by elderly stroke victim—gift deed as license—medical and registry evidence not properly adduced—defective prosecution—contradictory defence evidence—failure to prove inducement beyond reasonable doubt—conviction quashed—fine refunded
14 May 2025
April 2025
Bail—mandatory bail—prolonged detention without trial—over 4 years' detention—jurisdiction of military courts—civilian before General Court Martial—abuse of process—application of Article 23(6)(c) Constitution—mandatory grant of bail—terms and conditions of release
17 April 2025
Criminal law—bail—treason—misprision of treason—advanced age—substantial sureties—fixed place of abode—exceptional circumstances—pending charges—interference with investigations—discretion—national security—denial of bail
11 April 2025
Criminal law—private prosecution—insulting the modesty of a woman—jurisdiction—freedom of expression—prima facie case—revision—stay of proceedings—role of the magistrate—constitutional protections—abuse of process
11 April 2025
Bail pending appeal—jurisdiction—military court—civilian convict—constitutional safeguards—Supreme Court ruling—Kabaziguruka doctrine—legislative lacuna—equitable jurisdiction—substantial delay—likelihood of success—exceptional circumstances—bail granted
4 April 2025
March 2025
13 March 2025
8 March 2025
February 2025
25 February 2025
25 February 2025
21 February 2025
Bail application—presumption of innocence—exceptional circumstances—grave illness—advanced age—substantial sureties—flight risk—pending trial—discretion of court—public interest
21 February 2025
17 February 2025
17 February 2025
15 February 2025
Failure to deduct remand time under Article 28(3) renders a custodial sentence illegal; re‑sentencing ordered to account for remand.
Constitutional law – Article 28(3): mandatory arithmetic deduction of remand period when imposing custodial sentences; failure renders sentence illegal. Criminal law – Sentencing: appellate interference warranted where trial court failed to account for remand period; balancing of mitigating and aggravating factors on re‑sentencing. Theft – breach of trust and substantial value of stolen funds as aggravating factors.
14 February 2025
14 February 2025
14 February 2025
11 February 2025
January 2025
Criminal Law—plea bargaining—right to a fair trial—illiterate accused—legal representation—miscarriage of justice—revisionary powers of the High Court—illegalities and procedural irregularities—failure to deduct remand period—excessive sentencing—court’s duty to safeguard accused persons’ rights—quashing of conviction and sentence—immediate release of applicants
30 January 2025
Applicant charged with aggravated robbery failed to show exceptional circumstances for bail pending committal and ongoing investigations.
Criminal procedure – Bail pending trial; aggravated robbery – need for exceptional circumstances for bail; pre-committal applications – prematurity where committal and mandatory bail period not complete; risk of interference with ongoing investigations; discretion of court under Article 23(6).
23 January 2025
Murder—conviction—missing court and police files—retrial order—corruption allegations—right to a fair trial—delay in prosecution—Human Rights Enforcement Act—denial of application—justice for victims
14 January 2025
Mandatory bail—applicant detained for over six months without committal—Article 23(6)(c) of the Constitution—prolonged detention without trial—subsequent committal did not cure procedural defect—no prior criminal record—bail granted with conditions
5 January 2025
December 2024
Court granted bail where applicant proved fixed abode and substantial sureties after prolonged remand without trial.
[Bail] Constitution (Art 23(6)(a), Art 28(3)) – Presumption of innocence – Right to personal liberty; [Statute] Trial on Indictments Act s.16 – High Court discretion to grant bail; [Guidelines] Constitution (Bail Guidelines 2022) – fixed place of abode, suitability and documentation of sureties; [Remand] prolonged remand pending scheduling of trial as factor favoring bail; [Conditions] bond, sureties and reporting requirements.
19 December 2024
18 December 2024
18 December 2024
18 December 2024
Criminal appeal—Computer Misuse Act—electronic fraud—false Facebook account—deception—unlawful gain—circumstantial evidence—fair trial rights—adequate time for defense—disclosure—non-calling of material witness (Vice President Jessica Alupo)—custodial sentence—fine discretion—remand deduction—aggravating factors—deterrence—sentence revision—procedural fairness
18 December 2024
10 December 2024
Criminal revision—supervisory powers of the High Court—concurrent divorce and criminal proceedings—overlap of subject matter—divorce and forgery allegations—prejudice and fair trial—exceptional circumstances—judicial discretion—competing considerations
9 December 2024
Bail application—Criminal Procedure Code—constitutional rights—presumption of innocence—public interest—conditional bail—compliance with Court Orders
5 December 2024
November 2024
26 November 2024
Fraudulent plea bargain agreement—misrepresentation of facts—prosecutorial impropriety—charge amendment from Murder to Manslaughter—procedural irregularity—judicial review—quashing of plea bargain agreement—retrial ordered—costs
26 November 2024
25 November 2024
25 November 2024
Criminal Law—bail—cancellation—right to fair hearing—proof of breach of bail conditions—natural justice—Constitution Article 28 and 44(c)—reinstatement of bail—costs
14 November 2024
6 November 2024
6 November 2024
4 November 2024
1 November 2024
October 2024
31 October 2024
Applicant remanded well beyond the 180‑day constitutional limit is entitled to mandatory bail subject to specified conditions.
Constitutional criminal procedure – Article 23(6)(c) – mandatory bail where accused remanded over 180 days without committal to High Court; delay in committal as ground for bail; setting of bail conditions.
30 October 2024
28 October 2024
16 October 2024
16 October 2024
14 October 2024
Private prosecution – procedural defects – DPP's authority – withdrawal of criminal cases – abuse of court process – public interest – administration of justice
14 October 2024