Kampala– The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) today paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, at the Uganda Prisons Service Headquarters on Parliamentary Avenue to strengthen collaboration in the administration of justice.
During the meeting, the DPP commended the longstanding working relationship between the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Uganda Prisons Service, emphasizing that close cooperation between the two institutions is essential to delivering timely and effective justice.
Among the key issues discussed was the need to integrate the information management systems of both institutions to enable seamless information sharing and improve coordination.
The DPP also highlighted the concern of prisoners overstaying on remand without being committed to the High Court, noting that stronger collaboration would help address such delays.
The DPP acknowledged plea bargaining as one of the effective measures for reducing case backlog and prison congestion. He proposed that the ODPP take a more central role in initiating plea bargain processes, which would enable the Office to better track remand cases, identify inmates who have overstayed on remand, and expedite the disposal of cases.
In his remarks, the Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed the Uganda Prisons Service’s commitment to working closely with the ODPP to improve the administration of justice and the welfare of inmates.
He pledged to designate a liaison officer to work directly with the ODPP by providing timely reports and prison statistics to support efforts aimed at reducing prison congestion.
The meeting concluded with a resolution to hold quarterly engagements involving key criminal justice stakeholders to review progress, address emerging challenges, and strengthen collaboration in the delivery of justice.
