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.
1,753 judgments
  • Filters
  • Judges
  • Topics
  • Alphabet
Sort by:
1,753 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
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

Criminal Law—Sentencing—wildlife trafficking—plea of guilty—failure to allow cross-examination—remand time not mathematically deducted—right to fair trial—Magistrates Courts Act, s.133—custodial sentence justified—sentence revised on appeal

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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
September 2024

 

6 September 2024
August 2024

 

21 August 2024
July 2024

 

19 July 2024

 

11 July 2024
June 2024

 

19 June 2024

 

14 June 2024