Court of Appeal set to hear 23 criminal appeals in Gulu

The Court of Appeal is set to hold a three-day Criminal Appeals session in Gulu, during which 23 criminal appeals will be heard.

The session is scheduled to run from September 30 to October 2, 2025. It will be presided over by a panel of three Justices: Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Justice John Mike Musisi, and Lady Justice Esta Nambayo.

Ahead of the hearings, a pre-hearing meeting was held earlier today, chaired by the three Justices on the panel. The meeting focused on ensuring readiness and identifying any gaps that could hinder the smooth conduct of the session.

Appellants participated via video link from Gulu Main Prison. Their legal representatives, too, participated via video link. Present was the Court’s Registrar, HW Rukundo Allen Owembabazi, and a representative from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Mr Kulu Idambi J.B., Assistant DPP.

Also in attendance were HW Wagana, Margaret Ihorere, and HW Mwogera Eunice (Magistrates Grade I Research attached to the Justices), Mr Wolimbwa Ivan, Mr Zziwa Martin (Systems Administrators), and Ms Charity Atwine (Clerk).

The cause list, issued by the Court’s Registrar, His Worship Rukundo Allen Owembabazi, indicates that of the appeals to be handled during the session, murder constitutes the highest number of cases with 13 appeals.

This is followed by aggravated defilement with eight appeals, while aggravated robbery and aggravated rape each have one appeal.

Of these, one appellant seeks the Court’s intervention to overturn a sentence of death by hanging on a murder conviction.

Three other appellants want the Court to overturn life imprisonment sentences imposed by the High Court for the offence of murder.