Two magistrates face disciplinary action over corruption

By Sania Babirye

The Judiciary top Management has directed disciplinary action against two Magistrates and five support staff following the recent investigations by the Judiciary Anti-Corruption Task force.

The implicated staff are among those that appeared in last year’s media reports on corruption tendencies at selected courts arising out of investigations conducted by the Vision Group and the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF).

The Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe says his team reviewed the Report of the Task force in December 2019 and directed the Chief Registrar to charge the two implicated Magistrates and refer them to the Judiciary Disciplinary Committee.

Established under Office Instruction No. 4 of 2019 dated July 30, 2019, the Task force was mandated to investigate allegations of corruption published in the various print and electronic media during the period of June to July, 2019.

The implicated staff include two Magistrates, two Office Attendants, two Court Clerks and a Process Server, attached to the Magistrates Courts’ of Wakiso, Goma, City Hall, Mukono and Nabweru. The Permanent Secretary was also tasked to interdict the five support staff and take disciplinary action accordance with the Public Service Standing Orders.

"It is the disciplinary processes which will determine whether to forward the implicated officers to the Judicial Service Commission and Public Service Commission for further action,” said Justice Katureebe.

“This Task force interfaced with the media, reviewed media material and related documents, interviewed implicated individuals and conducted field visits in the process of executing this mandate,” the Report reads in part.

The report also highlights some of the other challenges affecting delivery of Judicial services, including poor infrastructure, inadequate security, inhumane sanitary conditions among others.

The task force was chaired by Dr. Immaculate Busingye, formerly Registrar Inspectorate of Courts who is now appointed as high Court judge.

Other Members included High Court Judges: Vincent Emmy Mugabo and Susan Abinyo, deputy registra Rosemary Bareebe, assistant deputy registra Ayebare Tumwebaze,

Patrick Barugahare who is the Principal Human Resource Officer, Solomon Muyita and Eva Kentaro Mugerwa an Advocate.