MUSANZE — High Court President Johnson Busingye, has advised judges against being lenient with individuals who are involved in economic crimes, in order to weed out the vice.

While briefing judges on the causes, nature and impact of economic crimes during the evaluation of the first term of judicial performance contracts last week, Busingye urged judges to hand down maximum sentences to economic crime suspects, saying it’s key to saving the country’s economy.

He noted that the judiciary should play a critical role in the recovery, deterrence and sending a strong signal in the fight against graft.

"No country can realise economic growth, when there is a high rate of economic crimes,’’ Busingye warned.

He listed corruption, money laundering, theft and misuse of public funds as some of the ways in which graft manifests itself.    

The judicial performance contracts are based on three pillars of efficiency and effective service delivery, integrity and fair justice.

The High Court President said that performance contracts illustrate the commitment of the judiciary to  transparency. During the presentation, Primary, intermediate and High Court judges from six northern districts presented their achievements in terms of dispensing of justice.

Underlining their desire to avoid delaying justice, the judges called for recruitment of more judges and additional training modules for court clerks. And they cited poor communication as one of the challenges facing them.

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