The Judiciary top management has directed disciplinary action against two Magistrates and five support staff following the recent investigations by the Judiciary Anti-Corruption Taskforce.
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).
They 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 Chief Justice, Mr Bart Katureebe, said in a press statement released on Thursday that the Judiciary top management had reviewed the report of the taskforce in December 2019 and directed the Chief Registrar to charge the two implicated Magistrates and refer them to the Judiciary Disciplinary Committee.
“The Permanent Secretary was also tasked to interdict the five support staff and take disciplinary action in 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.
Established under Office Instruction No. 4 of 2019 dated July 30, 2019, the Taskforce was mandated to investigate allegations of corruption published in the various print and electronic media during the period of June to July, 2019.
“This Taskforce 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 Taskforce has therefore proposed recommendations in this report which, if adopted and executed, will invariably attempt to address the highlighted challenges.”
The report also highlights some of the other challenges affecting delivery of judicial services, including poor infrastructure, inadequate security, and inhumane sanitary conditions among others. It also presents recommendations towards addressing the gaps identified.
Dr Immaculate Busingye, formerly Registrar Inspectorate of Courts (now High Court Judge), chaired the nine-member Taskforce. Members included; High Court Judges: Vincent Emmy Mugabo and Susan Abinyo; Ms. Rosemary Bareebe (Deputy Registrar); Mr. Ayebare Tumwebaze (Assistant Registrar); Mr. Patrick Barugahare (Principal Human Resource Officer), Mr. Solomon Muyita (Principal Communications Officer), and Ms. Eva Kentaro Mugerwa (Advocate).
