The Judiciary is under scrutiny for withholding bail money even after cases have been concluded.

Concerns were raised by Members of Parliament during a session of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Gorreth Namugga, following the Auditor General’s report for the 2024/2025 Financial Year, which revealed that over 54 billion shillings in bail fees remain unpaid.

The debate intensified when Judiciary Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana initially claimed he was unaware of the exact figures.

He later acknowledged the full amount after MPs presented the audited financial statements.

Lawmakers have now directed the Judiciary to educate the public on how to claim their refunded bail money, warning against leaving the funds idle in court accounts.

While the Judiciary has refunded 17 billion shillings, the outstanding balance continues to grow each financial year, highlighting systemic challenges in processing bail refunds.

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