Plea Bargain As Tool Of Enforcing Speedy Justice And The Effectiveness Of The Law And Practice In Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................ i

APPROVAL··························································"····························· ii

DEDICATION ................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................. iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................... v

ABSTRACT ....................................................................... viii

CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction ........................................................................... 1

I.I Statement of the problem .......................................................... 2

1.2 Objectives of the study ................................................ 2

1.3 General objective ................................................... 2

1.4 Research questions .................................................................. 3

1.5 The purpose of the study .......................................................... 3

1.6 Scope of the study .................................................................... 3

1.6.1 Time Scope .......................................................... .3

1.6.2 Content Scope ............................................................. 3

1.7 Significance of the study ........................................................... 3

1.8 Methodology .................................................................... 5

1.9 Literature Review ................................................................ 5

1. 9.1 Plea Bargaining in Ugandan Law ..................................... 5

1.9.2 The Footsteps of the Plea Bargaining in Ugan............... 6

1.9.3 The Judicature (Plea Bargain) Rules, 2016 ........... 8

1.9.3.1 Part I: Preliminary ................................................. 8

1.9.3.2 Part II: Plea Bargain ............................................................ 9

1.9.3.3 Part III: Plea Bargain Agreement .......................... I 0

1.9.3.4. Part IV: Withdrawal and Protection of Plea Bargain........ 12 
1.9.4. Participants .................................................................... 14

1.8.6.1. Profession and Experience ............................................................................................ 14

1.9.6.2. Regional Representation: .............................................................................................. 14

1.9.6.3. Representation of different courts ........................................................... ,1.., .. hL, ......... 15

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l, _I: I: ),-_?, _' .. : /\: 1.9.5. Research Ethics .............................................................................. \.: .. /.,., .. : .. : .. ,.',if ......... 17

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CHAPTER TWO ·······················································································M·!!'.,.; ........ ;,; .. ;l; ........ 19 !:'.L"f: . w '.

2.1 Types of Plea Bargaining ....................................................................... .!., .. : ...... , .. : ............. 19

2.1.2 Fact Bargaining ................................................................................................................. 22

2.1.3 Charge Bargaining ............................................................................................................ 22

2.1.4 Sentence Bargaining or Pure Plea Bargaining .................................................................. 24

2.1.5 The Potential Dangers of Plea Bargaining ........................................................................ 30

2.1.6 Plea Bargaining in International Law ............................................................................... 32

CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 35

ANALYSES OF THE RESULTS THE INTERVIEWS WITH JUDGES, PROSECUTORS AND

DEFENSE ATTORNEYS IN COURTS OF KAMPALA. ........................................................... 35

3 .0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... .35

3 .1 Plea Bargaining in Uganda (Legislation and Practice) ........................................................ 3 5

3.2 Plea Bargaining Guidelines .................................................................................................. 36

3.3 Role of the Court ................................................................................................................. .36

3.4 Victim Involvement ............................................................................................................. 37

3.5 The Roles of Judges, Prosecutors and Defense Attorneys in the Plea Bargaining Process.39

3.5.1. Judges ............................................................................................................................... 39

3.5.2 Prosecutors ....................................................................................................................... .40

3.5.3 Defense Attorneys ..................................................................................... : ...................... .40

CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 43

DISCUSSION OF KEY FINDINGS ............................................................................................ .43

4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. : ........................... .43

4.2 The Investigation of the Level of Use, Usefulness and Productiveness of Plea Bargaining

Practice ...................................................................................................................................... .43

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4.3 Objections Raised Against the Plea Bargain System ............................... L ........ i.., ............ .44

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4.4 Examples of the Plea Cases that have successfully concluded in Uganda that the research

came across ............................................................................................................................... .48

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 50

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................ 50

5.1 Conclusion ···························································································j·::J···./(i •. ,; ...... ! ........ 50

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5.2 Recommendat10ns .............................................................................. , .... '. ........... :l. •.... \. ....... 50

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APPENDIX A: CONSENT FORM ...................................................................•. : ......... : ............... 52

APPENDIX B: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR JUDGES ........................................................ 53

APPENDEX C: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR PROSECUTORS ......................................... 55

APPENDEX D: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR ADVOCATES ............................................. 57
ABSTRACT

The present criminal justice systems face challenges in the modern world characterized by the development of new technologies, fast communication, and the interconnection of different and distant paiis of the world; in simple terms the challenges of the Earth becoming "a global village." This causes crime to be more complex and to grow, and consequently criminal justice systems are being burdened with new types of problems. In this research rep01i, systems are forced to try to deal with criminal cases in a more efficient and faster way, to define priorities and look for alternatives to the classical trial which requires significant time, effort and resources. One of these alternative ways is plea agreements, or as is more commonly said plea bargaining. This legal instrument is present in its different forms in a number of national legal systems, as well as in international law. This work deals with its development, application and potential future in Uganda. First, the key features and principles of plea bargaining as a legal institution are presented in this work, demonstrating its strongest and most complex presence in the United States as the country of its origin, but also in other countries and in international law. After that, the research report deals with the development, regulation, as well as the extent of the presence of plea bargaining practices in Uganda. Furthermore, through a number of interviews conducted with Ugandan prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges as the main actors in this process, the study focuses on discovering how the practice functions in reality, and what hides behind the relatively ( j/; simple legal provisions that regulate this issue. After identifying the key. very J1 nt~rbti~g, issues that emerge from practical experience, the thesis presents the relevant impt@c~ti~ns fJJ tH~ future, and a number ofrelated conclusions and recommendations

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