The Directorate of Management Support Services is one of the four directorates in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is mandated to do the following:
1. Coordinate and manage logistical, administrative and other support services essential for the operations of the Office of the DPP.
2. Guide and coordinate the requirements and facilitation needs of the specialized, regional, district and other offices of the institution.
3. Manage and coordinate preparation of the institution’s budget.
4. Manage and coordinate disbursement of funds allocated to the Office of the DPP in accordance with the financial regulations and requirements.
5. Initiate, formulate and review policies, rules and regulations regarding public prosecutions and management of the institution.
6. Guide the overall coordination and harmonization of the various departments, divisions, sections, units and desks towards fulfilling the institution’s mandate in the management of public prosecutions and administration of criminal justice.
7. Identify the need, advocate and negotiate for support and additional resources for effective public prosecutions and administration of criminal justice.
8. Ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and support of public prosecutions to improve performance of the institution and the criminal justice process.
There are four departments in the Directorate of Management Support Services; the Department of Field Operations, Department of Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment, Department of Finance and Administration and Department of Information and Communication Technology.
The directorate has four divisions; the Environment and Wildlife Division and Human Rights Division under the Department of Field Operations, the Division of Human Resource Management and Division of Policy and Planning under the Department of Finance and Administration.
In addition, the directorate has two sections in the Department of Finance and Administration; Accounts Section and Internal Audit Section.
There are also two units in the directorate; the Procurement and Disposal Unit and Estates Unit all in the Department of Finance and Administration.
The Directorate of Management Support Services is headed by Mr. John Baptist Asiimwe – Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DDPP).
DEPARTMENT OF FIELD OPERATIONS
The Department of Field Operations is under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
Its key functional areas are; to monitor and evaluate performance of field staff, to establish field offices and provide prosecutorial services, to maintain effective communication and coordination between field stations and headquarters, and to establish and maintain collaborations and linkages with district and national partners in criminal justice.
This department has two divisions under it including the Human Rights Division that deals with human rights related issues and the Environment and Wildlife Division that manages environment and wildlife matters.
There are 19 Regional Offices and 126 Resident State Attorney (RSA) and Resident State Prosecutor (RSP) Offices under the Department of Field Operations. These offices have been established to bring criminal justice services closer to the people.
The Department of Field Operations is headed by Ms. Barbara Kawuma Bugembe – Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP).
ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE DIVISION
The Environment and Wildlife Division is under the Department of Field Operations under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
Its key functional areas are; to coordinate the handling of cases involving wildlife crimes, to enhance coordination and cooperation in cases involving cross-border trafficking of wildlife species/products, and to coordinate trainings to enhance the knowledge and skills of prosecutors and police investigators on investigation and prosecution of wildlife and related crimes.
The division makes use of the Rapid Reference Guide on Investigations and Prosecution of Wildlife Crimes, 2021 in its operations.
The division is based at the Head Office and is headed by Ms. Barbara Kawuma Bugembe – Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP).
REGIONAL OFFICES, RESIDENT STATE ATTORNEY AND RESIDENT STATE PROSECUTOR OFFICES
Regional Offices were established in February 2014 to streamline the operations of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and ensure efficiency, expeditious handling of cases and complaints, and effective supervision of upcountry stations (RSA and RSP stations). There are 19 Regional Offices and 127 RSA and RSP stations under them.
Why Regional Offices were created
a) To align ODPP structures with those of the Judiciary and the Police and to raise the designations at Resident Judge and Regional CID offices. The Regional Offices are created where there are High Court Circuits headed by Resident Judges.
b) For efficient and effective management and supervision because of increase in station numbers and staffing of field offices.
c) To improve the output of officers in field stations through mentoring and coaching from senior lawyers.
d) To decrease delays at the headquarters in processing files submitted from field stations for perusal or complaint handling.
e) To improve coordination and communication flows between the headquarters and field stations.
f) To expedite submission of monthly returns by officers and improve the quality of data collected (for preparation of timely and accurate ODPP performance reports).
Terms of reference for Regional Officers
a) Head the Regional Office and handle its day to day administrative duties.
b) Supervise Resident State Attorneys and Prosecutors in their regions and the staff directly under him/her.
c) Coordinate, supervise and conduct prosecutions within the region.
d) Receive and handle complaints from field offices.
e) Ensure effective communication and coordination between field offices and headquarters.
f) Monitor and enforce work ethics and integrity.
g) Inspect stations in their regions from time to time and provide guidance to the staff.
h) Ensure smooth working relationships with other stakeholders.
i) Establish and maintain collaboration linkages with partners within the Criminal Justice System.
DEPARTMENT OF WITNESS PROTECTION AND VICTIM EMPOWERMENT
The Department of Witness Protection and Victim Empowerment falls under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
It is responsible for; assessment and admission of witnesses into the ODPP Witness Protection Program, protecting witnesses, monitoring witnesses in the Witness Protection Program; establishing witness protection facilities, establishing and maintaining a network of witness protection officers, conducting outreach programmes on witness protection, conducting inter-agency meetings, and coordination of witness protection and support.
In relation to victim empowerment, the department is responsible for developing a strategy for empowering witnesses and conducting public awareness on witnesses and victims of crime.
This department ensures the implementation of the ODPP Witness Protection Guidelines, 2019 and the ODPP Victims’ Rights and Empowerment Guidelines, 2019.
The Department is headed by Mr. Charles Richard Kaamuli – Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP).
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
The Finance and Administration Department is under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
This department is responsible for issuing policy directions, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of ODPP policies, providing top level support in development of policy documents, holding public/stakeholder criminal justice interfaces in regard to prosecution policies, holding ODPP events, holding top management performance review retreats, managing human resource, procurements, accounts and audits.
The department has two divisions; Division of Human Resource Management responsible for managing the institution’s human resource, and the Division of Policy and Planning responsible for planning for the institution and policy direction.
In addition, the department has two sections; the Accounts Section that provides financial services and Internal Audit Section that oversees processes.
There are also two units in the department; the Procurement and Disposal Unit responsible for providing procurement and disposal services and the Estates Unit responsible for managing the institution’s land and other property.
The Department of Finance and Administration is under the stewardship of Ms. Agnes Kainza Nzogi – Undersecretary/Accounting Officer.
DIVISION OF POLICY AND PLANNING
The Division of Policy and Planning is under the Finance and Administration Department under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
Below are the functions of the division;
a) Hold consultative meetings to collect stakeholders’ views for the Budget Framework Paper (BFP) and Ministerial Policy Statement (MPS), Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for amendment of Article 120 and the ODPP enabling law, and Mutual Legal Assistance Law.
b) Hold meetings to validate the integrated document information.
c) Prepare Cabinet memos and other documents for submission of policy documents.
d) Print copies of policy and planning documents for dissemination.
e) Disseminate policy and planning documents.
f) Hold consultative meetings to collect departmental reports.
g) Undertake field activities to establish facts on the ground.
h) Conduct monitoring and evaluation of implementation of ODPP Work Plans and Policy Statement.
i) Hold meetings to validate the integrated document information.
j) Print copies of the reports for dissemination.
k) Disseminate reports.
l) Review emerging crime and criminal justice stakeholder data needs.
m) Review data collection instruments, collection processes and procedures.
n) Monitor and evaluate usage of existing data collection instruments.
o) Evaluate emerging needs for comprehensive case management.
p) Carry out project feasibility studies, travel to field offices to establish facts on the ground, benchmark other projects, and review existing projects.
The Division of Policy and Planning is headed by Ms. Viola Mary Tucungwirwe – Principal Policy Analyst.
HUMAN RESOURCE DIVISION
The Human Resource Division falls under the Finance and Administration Department under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
The division is responsible for filling vacant posts, implementing performance management initiatives, establishing a staff training and development plan, staff training, implementing ODPP policies, rules, procedures and guidelines, and managing the ODPP internship program.
In addition, the division is responsible for conducting library users’ needs assessment on library usage, establishing regional libraries, acquiring and distributing reference and reading materials, subscribing to legal and prosecution online materials and inspecting regional libraries.
This division is headed by Mr. David Wajambuka Giboyi – Assistant Commissioner Human Resource Management – AC/HRM.
ACCOUNTS SECTION
The Accounts Section falls under the Finance and Administration Department under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
This section is responsible for providing financial services in the institution. More specifically, processing payments and producing financial reports.
The Accounts Section is headed by Ms. Agnes Kainza Nzogi – Accounting Officer/Undersecretary.
INTERNAL AUDIT SECTION
The Internal Audit Section falls under the Finance and Administration Department under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
Its mandate is to evaluate effectiveness of risk management and control environment and governance processes. It provides independent, objective assurance and consulting activities.
The section is headed by Mr. Eric Olum – Internal Auditor.
PROCUREMENT UNIT
The Procurement Unit is under the Department of Finance and Administration under the Directorate of Management Support Services. It is responsible for providing procurement and disposal services.
The unit holds Contracts Committee meetings, issues Local Purchase Orders (LPOs), facilitates payment of procured goods and services, and develops asset management strategic plans.
This unit is headed by Ms. Barbra Asio – Senior Procurement Officer (SPO).
ESTATES UNIT
The Estates Unit falls under the Finance and Administration Department under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
This unit is responsible for acquiring and managing the land and other property for the institution.
The Estates Unit is headed by Mr. Denis Byaruhanga – Principal Assistant Secretary (PAS).
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
The Department of Information and Communication Technology is under the Directorate of Management Support Services.
This department is mandated to e quip all ODPP offices with ICT facilities, link ODPP offices to ICT infrastructure, introduce the ODPP Prosecution Case Management Information System (PROCAMIS) and E-Services to all ODPP offices, train the end users on IT systems and services, maintain ICT Infrastructure, hardware and software, integrate PROCAMIS with the Management Information Systems of other Criminal Justice Institutions, monitor and evaluate ICT capital works, and equip all ODPP offices with CCTV systems.
The Department of Information and Communication Technology is headed by Mr. Julius Torach – Commissioner ICT.
| The following personnel are in charge of this office: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jacquelyn Okui Ag. Principal State Attorney / PRO | DPP Headquarters, Workers House Floor 12 E-mail address: jacquelyn.okui@dpp.go.ug Official telephone: 0786927311 | |