An Act to provide for the procedure to be followed in criminal cases.

Criminal Procedure Code Act

<p>The Criminal Procedure Code Act (Cap 122) is the primary law in Uganda that sets out how criminal cases are handled from arrest through appeal. It applies to everyone involved in the criminal justice system — police officers, magistrates, prosecutors, accused persons, victims, and witnesses. This Act defines your rights when you are arrested, explains when police can detain you without a warrant, outlines the bail process, and provides the rules for appealing a conviction or sentence. Whether you are a suspect, a defendant, or a member of the public, knowing these rules helps you understand what to expect and how to protect your legal rights.</p>

<h3>Key Definitions</h3>
<p>Understanding legal terms is essential. The Act defines important words like <strong>cognisable offence</strong> — a serious crime that carries a prison sentence of at least one year or a fine over 24 currency points — and <strong>complaint</strong> — an allegation that a crime has been committed. It also defines who qualifies as a <strong>chief magistrate</strong>, what a <strong>police station</strong> is, and how <strong>currency points</strong> are valued (set out in the Schedule). These definitions form the foundation for all procedures under the Act.</p>

<h3>When Police Can Arrest You Without a Warrant</h3>
<p>The Act gives police broad powers to arrest you without a warrant in specific situations. A police officer can arrest you if they have reasonable grounds to suspect you have committed a serious (cognisable) offence, or if you breach the peace in their presence. Other reasons include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty</li>
<li>Being a suspected army deserter</li>
<li>Being found at night with intent to commit a crime, or possessing housebreaking tools</li>
<li>Having stolen property in your possession</li>
<li>If a warrant for your arrest is already issued</li>
</ul>
<p>Police can also arrest suspected vagabonds or habitual robbers if you are hiding, have no visible means of support, or cannot give a good account of yourself. Importantly, the police must have <strong>reasonable suspicion</strong> — arbitrary arrests are not allowed.</p>

<h3>Your Rights During Arrest</h3>
<p>When you are arrested, you have several important rights:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>To be told why you are being arrested:</strong> A written order with your name and the offence must be given to the arresting officer if you are arrested without a warrant (Section 12).</li>
<li><strong>Against excessive force:</strong> The police can only use the force necessary to prevent your escape — handcuffs or tying you up is only allowed if you actively resist or try to flee.</li>
<li><strong>To be searched respectfully:</strong> Women must be searched only by another woman, and your clothing cannot be taken unless it is evidence.</li>
<li><strong>To have your arrest reported to a magistrate within 24 hours:</strong> The police must notify a magistrate of your arrest, even if you are released on bail. This prevents secret detention.</li>
<li><strong>To be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay:</strong> If you are arrested without a warrant, you must be brought before a magistrate or senior police officer as soon as possible, and in any case within 24 hours for non-serious crimes (e.g., not murder, treason, or rape).</li>
</ul>

<h3>Arrest by Private Citizens (Citizen's Arrest)</h3>
<p>You have the right to arrest someone if you witness them committing a serious crime (cognisable offence) or if you reasonably suspect they have committed a felony. If your property is being damaged, you or your employees can arrest the person causing the damage without a warrant. However, you must hand the arrested person over to a police officer or take them to a police station as quickly as possible. The police will then decide whether to hold them or release them. If there is no good reason to believe they committed a crime, they must be released immediately.</p>

<h3>Police Powers to Prevent Crime and Protect Property</h3>
<p>Police have a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent crimes, especially serious ones. They can arrest you without a warrant if they know you are planning to commit a cognisable offence and believe arrest is the only way to stop it. They can also intervene to prevent damage to public property (buildings, roads, canals, telegraph lines, etc.) and can stop anyone from removing public landmarks. If a police officer learns about a planned serious crime, they must report it to their supervisor so action can be taken.</p>

<h3>Appeals from Criminal Convictions and Sentences</h3>
<p>If you are convicted, you have the right to appeal to a higher court. The key procedures are:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Filing a notice of appeal:</strong> You must file a written notice within 14 days of the judgment. The notice must describe the judgment, provide your contact address, and give your reasons. You can ask for a free copy of the judgment and then file your grounds within 14 days after receiving it.</li>
<li><strong>Fee:</strong> You must pay a filing fee, but it can be waived if you cannot afford it.</li>
<li><strong>Appeal from prison:</strong> If you are in custody, you can give your appeal documents to the prison officer, who must forward them to the registrar. The date you hand them over counts as the date of filing.</li>
<li><strong>Appellate court powers:</strong> The higher court can set aside your conviction if the original decision was unreasonable, based on wrong law, or caused a serious injustice. It can reduce or increase your sentence, or even find you guilty of a different offence. If your sentence is three years or less, the court may suspend it under special conditions.</li>
<li><strong>Second and third appeals:</strong> Appeals from a magistrate’s court go to the High Court, and from there to the Court of Appeal — but only on a point of law, not on facts or sentence severity. A third appeal is possible only if the High Court certifies a major legal question or the Court of Appeal itself decides to hear it for justice’s sake.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Bail Pending Appeal and Your Rights</h3>
<p>If you are convicted and file an appeal, you can apply for bail while waiting for the appeal to be heard. The appeal court has discretion to grant bail. If you are not on bail, the time you spend in custody generally does not count toward your sentence, but after six weeks, your sentence begins to run. You can also choose to be treated as a convicted prisoner, which makes your sentence start from the original sentencing date — the court must inform you of this option.</p>

<h3>High Court Revision Powers</h3>
<p>The High Court can review the records of any criminal case decided by a magistrate’s court to check for errors or unfairness. This is called <strong>revision</strong>. If you think a magistrate made a serious mistake, you can ask the High Court to review your case. The High Court can correct errors, increase your sentence, or change other orders — but it cannot turn an acquittal into a conviction unless you were also convicted of a different offence in the same case. You must be given a chance to explain yourself before an order that harms you is made. If you could have appealed but chose not to, you cannot use the revision process.</p>

<p>For specific legal advice, consult a qualified lawyer or the nearest magistrate’s court.</p>

A magistrate can arrest you or order your arrest if they see you and have the legal authority to issue a warrant for your arrest at that moment. This power is limited to the area where the magistrate has jurisdiction. If you are arrested this way, you have the right to be told why and to be brought before a court. The magistrate cannot arrest you for any reason – only for offences where a warrant could be issued.

Learn when a magistrate can arrest you or order your arrest in Uganda. Understand your rights and the limits on a magistrate's power to arrest without a warrant.

Section 20: When Can a Magistrate Arrest You in Uganda?

A magistrate may at any time arrest or direct the arrest in his or her presence, within the local limits of his or her jurisdiction, of any person for whose arrest he or she is competent at the time and in the circumstances to issue a warrant.

Section 20: When Can a Magistrate Arrest You in Uganda?

20.Arrest by magistrate

Plain English Summary