Patongo High Court holds first session, just a month after launch

13 June 2025, 10:15 AM

By Freeman Canogura

Just a month after it was launched, Patongo High Court has held its first sitting. The inaugural court session began on June 12, 2025, and is currently handling 45 criminal case files.

The new resident judge, Justice George Okello, is presiding over cases that include 17 charges of murder, 13 for aggravated defilement, 7 on child trafficking, 4 rape cases, and 4 for others. The court was inaugurated on May 12, 2025.

Betty Ajok, the Chief Magistrate and Acting Assistant Registrar said the High Court’s presence in Patongo will drastically reduce the delays that residents previously faced when accessing justice through Gulu or Kitgum courts.

She added that justice should not be delayed due to logistical limitations, and that her team is committed to expediting proceedings while upholding fairness.

Denis Olweny, a court clerk at Patongo High Court, welcomed the development, noting that victims and families of accused persons had long struggled with transportation and legal costs when accessing distant courts.

Olweny believes the opening of the court reduces transport burdens and gives poor families a chance to attend hearings and get justice

Local leaders expect that the new court will also ease congestion in prisons and improve public confidence in the judicial system.