The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised concerns over more than Shs54.4 billion in unclaimed bail fees and security deposits currently being held by the Judiciary, prompting scrutiny over the management of court funds and the process used to refund money to suspects.
The issue came to light during a meeting between PAC and Judiciary officials as lawmakers examined findings in the 2024/2025 Auditor General’s report. Committee members questioned why such a large amount of bail money belonging to private citizens remains in court accounts for extended periods.
Records presented to the committee show that the Judiciary began the current financial year with Shs55.8 billion in unclaimed bail deposits carried forward from previous years. During the same period, courts collected Shs16.15 billion in fresh bail payments, while Shs17.56 billion was refunded to claimants. Despite those refunds, the total amount still held by courts remains above Shs54 billion.
Ibanda North MP Xavier Kyooma said the figures suggest the Judiciary is retaining funds that should have already been returned to their rightful owners.
“At the beginning of the financial year it stood at Shs55.8 billion, meaning the Judiciary was holding money that belonged to claimants,” Kyooma told the committee.
“So we are talking about over Shs54 billion that belongs to people but is still in the hands of the Judiciary. This is not small money.”
Lawmakers also questioned why the refund process remains largely manual despite technological advancements that could make it easier for claimants to recover their deposits.
PAC Vice Chairperson Gorreth Namugga, the Mawogola North MP, described the situation as evidence of systemic weaknesses in the management of bail funds.
“When you look at your records and see Shs54.4 billion as people’s money lying in accounts, it clearly shows there is a problem. Something must be solved,” she said.
“In this era of technology, how can we still be this manual? It is an embarrassment.”
The committee also expressed concern about what some legislators described as excessively high cash bail requirements imposed on suspects, warning that such practices risk turning bail into a punishment rather than a constitutional safeguard.
Namugga cited an example from Ssembabule District where a suspect was reportedly asked to pay Shs1 million in cash bail, raising questions about whether courts are adequately considering the financial circumstances of accused persons.
“Is bail a punishment?” she asked. “To the public, it now looks as if bail is punishment.”
Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba urged judicial officers to exercise greater sensitivity when setting bail conditions, especially for suspects from low-income backgrounds.
“You look at someone before you in Ssembabule and ask them to pay Shs1 million cash bail. Even if the entire clan came together, they might not raise that money,” Nsamba said.
However, the Judiciary defended its procedures, maintaining that bail decisions are guided by legal principles and judicial discretion.
Acting Chief Registrar Pamela Lamunu told the committee that bail is meant to balance the rights of accused persons with the interests of justice, stressing that it should not be interpreted as punishment.
“Bail is not a punishment. Every accused person has the right to apply for bail, and it is the discretion of the judicial officer to determine whether to release that person and whether to grant cash or non cash bail,” Lamunu said.
On the issue of unclaimed deposits, Lamunu said courts regularly display information on notice boards explaining how claimants can recover their money and that refunds can also be processed through bank accounts and mobile money channels.
“It does not serve us any good to have that money in our accounts. It is not our money,” she added.
PAC has now directed the Judiciary to submit detailed records of individuals entitled to the refunds and indicate how long some of the funds have remained unclaimed. The committee is also pushing for reforms that could modernize bail administration and ensure that deposits are returned to citizens more quickly.
