Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has issued a stinging rebuke to Judge Catherine Bamugemereire for criticizing the judiciary using a strange procedure, and without providing a formal report to any authority.
Katureebe expressed his discontent in a statement issued Sunday questioning Bamugemereire’s methods of work in land matters.
On October 26, the Court of Appeal Judge authored a missive exposing the rot in courts and Judiciary, and said judges are conniving with land grabbers, and also lashed out at what she called the “wanton abuse” of criminal justice system.
Below we produce Katureebe’s statement
The attention of the Judiciary has been drawn to a Press Release by the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters dated 26 October 2018, and related media reports in regard to the handling of land matters by the Courts of Judicature.
The Judiciary, on one hand, takes the issues raised in that Press Release seriously and would appreciate if they are properly investigated to establish the facts and make appropriate recommendations for a lasting solution.
The Judiciary, however, is concerned with the mode used by the Commission to communicate matters of such serious nature.
“We would have expected the Commission to communicate findings of such a serious nature in form of an Interim Report to the President, not a Press Release,” said the Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe.
“The Judiciary, as well as the government, would have studied that report and taken appropriate action, including giving the officers mentioned in there in an opportunity to defend themselves.
“Nonetheless, we will further study the Press Release and try to work on it appropriately. Any judicial officer found to have acted outside the law will be dealt with accordingly,” added the Chief Justice.
The Judiciary has on occasions interacted with the Commission, including on 25 September 2017 when it formally presented a detailed memorandum with recommendations regarding land administration and adjudication in Uganda.
The Principal Judge, Dr. Yorokamu Bamwine, said the actions of a few judicial officers should not be used to brand the entire Judiciary a culprit. “Lately, we are encouraging judicial officers to conduct judicial processes in a more transparent manner so as to enhance public trust and confidence in the Judiciary,” adds Dr. Bamwine.