The Deputy Chief Justice, Dr Flavian Zeija, has praised the Judiciary’s growing adoption of digital technology and artificial intelligence, saying the reforms will ease access to justice and strengthen public trust in the courts.
Presiding over the open court day at the Ntungamo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Dr Zeija said the judiciary was steadily adapting to technological change through digital courts, electronic filing and online or mobile payments for court services such as bail and application fees.
‘The world is fast advancing and there is this AI (artificial intelligence), as court we are slowly adapting and we shall see all this ease access to our processes. We are implementing electronic court case management, and now our users can pay for services using Mobile money, someone is able to file a case from home on a computer and when a judge comes in the morning, he will find a case at their desk,’ Justice Zeija said.
He noted that digital payments would reduce delays that have kept many suspects in detention, especially over weekends or in districts without commercial banks.
‘Police has had a habit of bringing suspects to court on Friday afternoon knowing that even if a suspect is granted bail it will be late to pay the bail money as banks would have closed so they can stay for the weekend. Now you pay with mobile money and simply bring a receipt. No one will sleep in cells because they have failed to pay over banks closing. Some areas where there are courts have no commercial banks and people travel long distances to bank for court services,’ he said.
Dr Zeija added that the rollout of High Court sessions countrywide would be supported by digital systems enabling suspects to appear from prison while judicial officers sit in court, reducing transport challenges and easing hearings.
He also said mobile courts would be deployed to hard-to-reach areas and busy trading centres to bring justice closer to the public.
‘We are having mobile vans fitted well with the bench and where people can sit, we shall take such to places like markets and we also take there suspects and officers. This will aid us in accessing witnesses too. In places like Islands on Lake Victoria, we shall have well-built boats state of the art to reach out to such. We want people to feel court presence and this justice be done,’ he said.
He warned judicial officers against taking bribes and urged improved customer care, timely judgments, mediation and better public sensitisation through radio.
Ntungamo Chief Magistrate Gordon Muhimbise said improved staffing, welfare and more court sessions were boosting public confidence. Mbarara Resident Judge Justice Allan Nshimye said digitalisation had reduced file loss and improved efficiency.
On her part, Ntungamo RDC Miriam Kagaiga said cooperation between courts and security agencies supported peace and stability. Court users, however, raised concerns over victimisation of guarantors in money-lending cases and slow appeals.