The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Frances Abodo had rejected proposals by some MPs to consider taking over cases of civilians being charged before the Court Martial, saying she wants to stay in her lane because the Constitution bars her from interfering in proceedings at Court Martial.
Abodo made her stance while appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Wednesday to present the 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper for the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution.
“I can’t institute and I can’t takeover cases under the Court Martial. We have looked at it, I just want to stay in my lane until, you will forgive me that I may not comment on that case because the next question is that I comment on those cases, I may not comment because it is a case in the Supreme Court as well, so, you will just excuse me for that otherwise, I may be quoted or misquoted and then the subjudice rule gets me,” said Abodo.
Abodo’s remarks were in response to a question raised by Asuman Basalirwa (Bugiri Municipality) who tasked Abodo to consider taking over cases of civilians being charged before the Court Martial, a plea Abodo vehemently rejected, citing Article 120 of the Constitution that spells out the duties of the DPP.
“Her appreciation from Article 120 is different from ours but we still invited her to take a thorough thought for purposes of creating sanity in the court martial,” said Basalirwa.
“We are of the considered opinion that whereas the Constitution in one limb is to the effect that the DPP can institute cases in all courts except the Court Martial, when it comes go taking over and discontinuing, we have the opinion that actually, the Constitution permits.
So we invited the DPP to seriously consider that provision and see whether the office can move to takeover proceedings and discontinue proceedings in the Court Martial, especially relating to the trial of civilians,” Basalirwa explained.
