CIRCULAR: Additional operating procedures for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic (Release date: June 21, 2021)

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The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has launched child-friendly rooms at its regional offices in Kabale, Mbarara and Masaka. The launch of the child-friendly room in Kabale took place on 19th May 2021, presided over by Hon. Justice Moses Kazibwe, the Resident Judge of Kabale, was the Chief Guest. 

The launch of the Mbarara and Masaka child-friendly rooms took place today 20th May 2021, presided over by Ms. Rachael Odoi, the Senior Technical Advisor, Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS).

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Published: May 21, 2021

KAMPALA -- Today the 3rd of March 2021, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Justice Jane Frances Abodo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Space for Giants (SFG) to strengthen the ability of the Office of the DPP to handle cases involving wildlife crimes.

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Published: 3rd March 2021

Hon. Lady Judge Jane Frances Abodo has assumed her position as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) today April 22, 2020. This follows her recent appointment by His Excellency the President Y.K. Museveni as the DPP after the Hon. Justice Mike Chibita was elevated to Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda.

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Published: April 23, 2020

The Ag. Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Alfred Elem-Ogwal has today issued a circular to all ODPP staff, JLOS institutions, the general public  and other stakeholders detailing operating procedures for the ODPP following the Presidential directives extending the COVID-19 lockdown for 21 days to 5^th May 2020.

DOWNLOAD ODPP OPERATING PROCEDURES (Issued: 16^th April 2020)

This circular follows the administrative guidelines issued on 20^th March 2020 by Mr. Ogwal to all ODPP staff in the country. 

DOWNLOAD ODPP ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES (issued: 20^th March 2020)

For any inquiries, the ODPP has provided the following contact information:

Mr. Vincent Wagona

Deputy DPP/Management and Support Services

Tel. 0794-332085

Ms. Jacquelyn Okui

Public Relations Officer

Tel. 0794-332233

Ms. Barbara Masinde

PA to the Ag. DPP

Tel. 0794-332472

Published: April 17, 2020 (17.48 EAT)

In reference to the Presidential directives on the prevention and management of COVID-19, the ODPP has today issued the following administrative measures to all staff in departments, divisions and all regional offices:

1) Serious cases and those that pose a threat to public order and harmony to be registered in court for plea taking

2) Bail applications to be handled whenever the courts are sitting

3) Staff at the courts with video link to continue to operate of court decides to proceed

4) Regional ODPP officers to review committed files and prepare committal papers

5) Complainants allowed to only file written complaints at the registries and will follow up either on phone or after a period of 32 days

6) Registry staff to display phone numbers of the complaint desk officers as well as heads of stations

7) Scheduled national and international conferences and workshops postponed until further notice

8) No approval of foreign travels and those already approved rescinded until further notice

9) Sanitizers and other preventive measures put in place at ODPP service points in accordance to MOH COVID-19 protocols and guidelines

Prosecutors directed to advise Police as follows:

1) Process suspects for court in capital cases, serious or other offenses that are likely to disrupt social harmony and public order

2) Immediately produce suspects in court for plea and in any case not later than 48 hours

3) Process suspects in minor cases within 48 hours

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Published: March 20, 2020

Justice Abodo was appointed High Court Judge on March 23, 2018. She has been attached to the High Court’s Criminal Division and she’s the Focal-Point Person of Judiciary’s Plea Bargain Programme — an initiative used to fight case backlog in criminal cases, as well as decongest prisons.

Prior to joining the bench, she was a state prosecutor specialising in white-collar and cybercrime.

She holds a Master of Laws from Trinity College Dublin (2016). 

In 2015, Abodo was recognized by the Uganda Law Society as the best prosecutor of the year. Her office boasted of the highest conviction rates in Uganda.

For eight years she has headed the prosecution arm of the Anti-Corruption Court – as area that has not had integrity issues during her time.

Over time, Abodo has also grown through the ranks. She started as a pupil state attorney before moving to senior state attorney, then attorney principal and now to senior assistant DPP.

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Published: April 2, 2020

KAMPALA – President Museveni has appointed High Court Judge Jane Frances Abodo as the new Director of Public Prosecution.

Justice Abodo is taking over from Justice Mike Chibita who has been serving as the DPP since 2013 and was appointed supreme court judge recently.

Justice Abodo who was a former senior state attorney was appointed as high court judge in 2019. She has previously worked at the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

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Published: April 2, 2020

MUNYONYO - The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) were among winners of the the EGovernment Excellence Awards held at Speke Resort Munyonyo on June 27 2019.

ODPP won the award for Outstanding Web Portal (Information Category) while URSB took home the accolade for Outstanding Sector E-Service Award (Justice, Law Order and Order Sector). The JLOS Secretariat was nominated for the Best Exhibitor Award (2019 EGov Expo) that was won by the Uganda Revenue Authority. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda the Prime Minister was the Chief Guest at the glamorous event. Also present was the Minister for iCT and National Guidance, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze,  the Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Investment and Privatization) Hon. Evelyn Anite, members of parliament, representives from the donor community, the academia, the business community, the media and several government officials.

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By Edgar Kuhimbisa / Published: June 28 2019

KAMPALA. For lack of a proper legal framework to protect witnesses/victims of crime, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), has launched guidelines for prosecutors to use as a temporary measure if they are to effectively combat crime in the country. The guidelines are meant to assist prosecutors to determine the witness protection perimeters and the scope of protection in absence of the legislation. 

“At the moment, as most of us know, there is no legislation in Uganda to provide for protection of witnesses. Indeed it’s a bit awkward that we are launching manuals for victims’ rights and witness protection in absence of an enabling law,” said DPP Mike Chibita during the launch last Friday. He continued: “The alternative should have been us to sit and fold our hands and wait but we had to do what we could with the resources that we have. So even if the enabling legislation is not there, we still with the help of our friends, came up with these guidelines.” 

Justice Chibita lamented of how it has been hard to prosecute criminal cases in absence of an enabling law that protects witnesses. 

He gave an example of how they had to hire a car to be on standby and wait for a witness at the gate to whisk him/her away to the airport and take refuge in another country for fear of being harmed after testifying in a terrorism case he declined to name.

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Published: June 11, 2019