Chief Justice tells RDCs to keep off court cases
Chief Justice Bart Katureebe addresses litigants during one of his countrywide tours of courts in eastern Uganda.
PHOTO BY ANTHONY WESAKE
What you need to know:
Cautioned. Justice Bart Katureebe said the Judiciary is an independent arm of the state
Soroti.
Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has warned Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) against interfering with judicial work.
The Chief Justice reminded the president’s representatives that they belong to the executive arm of the State and should not cross the line and interfere with legislature’s work. He said the three branches of state are independent of each other.
“You, the RDCs, should do your work as long as you don’t interfere with ours,” Justice Katureebe warned.
“If a citizen feels you have stepped on his/her toes while performing your duties, leave us to listen to the plea of Ugandans. We don’t invite the citizens but they run to us while in need,” he added.
The CJ sounded the caution on Wednesday evening while addressing residents of Soroti District during his week-long tour of courts of judicature in eastern region.
RDCs have been accused of interfering with the execution of court orders, especially on land evictions.
Soroti residents requested Justice Katureebe to intervene in the four cases about the demand of compensation for livestock lost during cattle rustling by Karimojong warriors and during the insurgency in Teso.
“Teso sub-region used to own more than one million cows but some were taken away by soldiers during the war while others were rustled by the Karamojong. We filed cases in the courts of law but judgment has taken long to be passed. What is the problem,” asked Mr Paphras Imodot Edimu, the founder of the Teso cultural body.
Another resident Mr Yakobo Ekemu, from the neighbouring Amuria District, wondered why the Karimojong - who they accuse of having stolen their cattle, the Langi and Baganda, who were ravaged by different wars, have been compensated and not the Itesot.
However, Soroti resident judge Henrietta Wolayo explained the delay of the compensation cases filed by the war claimants. She said she had to refer some cases to the Constitutional Court.
The Chief Justice observed that for some time, the Constitutional Court did not have enough judges and lacked coram - a panel of five justices required to hear them.
