By: Melanie Aanyu

Murder and defilement cases top the list of cases to be handled by the Court of Appeal session that is currently sitting in Mbale District.

Of the 47 appeals on the list, 25 are against the conviction of murder, 13 against aggravated defilement, five against aggravated robbery, two against manslaughter and two against rape.

Justice Helen Oburah will lead a panel of three justices of the Court of Appeal, whose session was launched yesterday by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera.

In his remarks, Justice Buteera said delays in the delivery of justice is an injustice to the population.Adding that the Judiciary is set to increase the number of justices of the Court of Appeal from the current 15 to 56.

Senior Resident Judge Godfrey Namundi said they are overwhelmed by the number of civil and criminal appeals in Mbale Court.

Ms Sarah Amunyii, the probation and welfare officer and the officer in charge of Mbale Remand Home, said they have a high number of juvenile cases that have been on remand for a long time.