LC CHAIRPERSONS ACCUSE POLICE OF CRIPPLING JUSTICE

By Yosam Gucwaki
www.mknewslink.com
In Masindi
Local council one chairperson from Masindi central division in Masindi district have criticized police and courts for what they called usurping their powers of dispensing justice.
The LCs raised this concern during one day induction workshop for leaders in the division organised by the judicial service commission on its mandates to share the challenges affecting service delivery in the administration of justice in the country.
Yusuf Wasswa, the chairperson Southern cell said that the law gives local councils powers to handle some cases but police and courts dont respect it and handle even cases that are under the mandate of the local council courts.
Wasswa said that this has always led to unnecessary arrests and detention of innocent people over petty matters and delay in deciding cases.
Denis Mayanja, the chairperson northern cell accused police for what he called disrespecting local council courts which he said has made them lose respect from people who voted them into offices.
Mayanja added that police also accuse local council leaders of taking sides whenever they try to push for settling cases that have been reported to police in the local council courts
Issaac Bongomin, the male council for Kijura ward resolved that petty cases should be left to local council courts as one of the solutions to case backlog in the country.
Samuel Okao, the lead prosecutor at the judicial service commission blamed corruption among judicial officers noting that they get interested in simple cases after getting money from one of the parties.
Okao also listed the cases that are under the mandate of local council courts as debts, contracts, assault, trespass and damage to property among others civil cases.

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