Kampala, Uganda — Uganda’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) have pledged closer collaboration following a high-level summit held yesterday at the Judiciary Headquarters.
The landmark meeting aimed to reshape the delivery of criminal justice services by improving coordination between prosecutors and investigators.
The summit gathered senior officials from both institutions to identify gaps, propose solutions, and reinforce their shared responsibility in ensuring justice is done—and seen to be done.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Deputy DPP for Management Support Services, Mr. John Baptist Asiimwe, emphasized that the work of CID and ODPP was inseparable.
He said the performance of one directly influenced the other and called for unified efforts moving into a politically sensitive election season.
He underscored the need for strategic preparedness and joint resilience to navigate the legal complexities that often emerge during electoral periods.
Deputy CID Director SCP Beata Chelimo, representing the CID Director, welcomed the evolving partnership, noting that the collaboration between the two bodies was not only improving but becoming a model of institutional transformation.
She emphasized the importance of continued cooperation, calling CID and ODPP the foundational pillars of the criminal justice system.
Mr. Job Cedric Osuret from the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) drew attention to Uganda’s position in global financial compliance.
He warned that unless investigative and prosecutorial responses to financial crimes were strengthened, the country risked returning to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List.
He encouraged both agencies to take a more coordinated stance against money laundering and terrorist financing.
Meanwhile, CID Deputy Director ACP Odong Mark highlighted operational weaknesses in the field. He reported that districts like Rubanda, Napak, Nakapiripirit, and Terego continued to face a shortage of prosecutors.
He also noted logistical constraints, challenges in managing exhibits, and bureaucratic delays in corruption cases due to mandatory audits.
Deputy DPP for Prosecutions and International Affairs, Mr. Odumbi James Owere, raised concern over the rising number of illegal out-of-court settlements in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases.
He observed that this trend, along with the frequent non-appearance of key witnesses, was undermining justice and emboldening offenders. He urged both legal practitioners and communities to work toward changing this culture.
Discussions led to several proposals, including:
- Improving witness handling and ensuring their presence in court
- Increasing ODPP staffing in underserved regions
- Enhancing chain-of-custody procedures for exhibits
- Boosting collaboration in handling cases from the court martial
- Intensifying efforts to curb urban crime
- Establishing an integrated digital case tracking and evidence-sharing system between agencies
In closing, Mr. Odumbi encouraged both institutions to abandon siloed approaches and instead build a cohesive justice system.
He said progress would only be realized if CID and ODPP worked side by side to create a system that is not only fair but also resilient and responsive to public needs.
