How Judiciary unearthed Justice Kavuma actual age

Outgoing deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma. FILE PHOTO

Kampala- Three separate investigations carried out by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) mid last year, put in a tight corner the outgoing deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma to accept that he had reduced his actual age by one year, Daily Monitor has learnt.
This newspaper understands that Justice Kavuma had presented a contrary date of retirement of September 29, next year and yet the official date of his birth is September 29,1947, meaning he retires this Saturday after he clocks 70 years.
A source at the Commission that spoke on condition of anonymity since they are not authorised to speak to the media, revealed that Justice Kavuma had presented three curriculum vitae, an identity card and a passport that showed that he was born on September 29, 1948.
Sources say he attempted to falsify his age so that he may get one more year in civil service with all its benefits.

The investigation that the JSC relied on to make Justice Kavuma to concede include; his certificate of eligibility for enrolment as an advocate, the directorate of citizenship and immigration, ministry of Internal Affairs and records from the Public Service ministry.
After the JSC got hold of the aforementioned documents suggesting a contrary retirement age from one the judge had presented, he was invited at Kabira Country Club in Kampala to interface with the Commission about the matter.
Justice Kavuma, however, wrote back to the Commission and informed them that he would not be available on the appointed date.

But he later conceded to the veracity of the commission’s investigations and told them that in the spirit of independence and integrity of the Judiciary; let his date of birth be September 29, 1947.
Daily Monitor understands that Justice Kavuma did not even sign his response letter to the Commission but one of his aides signed on his behalf.

No response
A source from the JSC said despite the commission demanding that he signs the letter himself, to date, he has not done so.
The JSC is a government body that is charged with recruitment and disciplining of errant judicial officers.

“He submitted three CVs, an identity card and a passport, all showing that he was born on September 29,1948. The permanent secretary/Secretary to Judiciary wrote to us asking on what should be done. We wrote to law council and Public Service to that effect,” the source said
Adding: “On the basis of those returns including the immigration file, all of them indicated that he was born on September 29, 1947, meaning he retires this week.”

The Commission’s letter to Justice Kavuma in mid last year, stated that the Judiciary had declared vacant positions for the judicial officers, including his position as deputy chief justice that would fall vacant by end of this year.

“From the law council, we have received submissions dated 5th June 2017, enclosing inter alia your lordship’s application of a certificate of eligibility for enrolment as an advocate made under the provisions of the Advocates (Enrolment Certificate) 1971 as well as a duly commissioned affidavit deponed by your lordship in support of your application which indicates your date of birth as 29 September 1947,” the Commission’s letter read in part
Adding: “In addition, we have received submissions from the Ministry of Public Service to the effect that your date of birth is 29th September, 1947,”
Justice Kavuma retires at a time when his successor Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo has been approved by Parliament.
Justice Owiny-Dollo awaits to take the oath before the President Museveni and start work officially.

Earlier cases
The source at the Commission hoped that no other judicial officer falsifies documents in exchange of getting more years in the service and that this is not the first time that a judicial officer falsifies documents.
In the 1990s, a High Court judge was found to have used a forged O’level certificate to be admitted to A ‘level and later to Makerere University.
The disgraced judge later lost his job over the same.