UCU ordered to pay two expelled students Shs20m
Mukono High Court has ordered Uganda Christian University (UCU) to compensate two law students it expelled with Shs20m.
What you need to know:
- The students were successfully represented in court by Counsel Isaac Ssemakadde Kimaze and the university was represented by AF Mpanga Advocates.
- At the time of their expulsion, the two students were in third year.
KAMPALA. Mukono High Court has ordered Uganda Christian University (UCU) to compensate two law students it expelled with Shs20m.
Besides ordering for the compensation of Shs10m to each of the affected students; Yasin Sentumbwe Munagomba and Simon Semuwemba, court also directed the university to have them reinstated to conclude their law course arguing that they were expelled without being given a fair hearing as the rules of natural justice demand.
“The minutes of the proceedings that led to the expulsion of Sentumbwe and Semuwemba, shows that the university did not observe the principals of natural justice at all. They were not accorded a fair trial because there is no evidence on record against them,” ruled Justice Margaret Mutonyi.
The judge continued: “Both applicants (students) are awarded general damages of Shs10m each. Their expulsion from the university was very high handed, it aimed at destroying the future of their very own students and creating fear among the student community.”
The students were successfully represented in court by Counsel Isaac Ssemakadde Kimaze and the university was represented by AF Mpanga Advocates.
Mr Sentumbwe had been found guilty of damaging the good name and image of the university when he allegedly participated in a demonstration on the university premises without informing the Vice Chancellor in advance or without obtaining his approval from police.
According to the university, this was contrary to Regulation 6 (V) and 8 (II) of the Code of Conduct handbook.
The demonstration reportedly took place on April 20, 2016 and the Students Disciplinary Committee resolved to expel him.
At the time of his expulsion, he was a third year law student.
Likewise, his colleague Mr Semuwemba who at the time of his expulsion was the president of UCU law society, was found guilty of spreading false and libelous information about the university to the students and threatened to resort to other measures in a letter written to the director of students Affair.
He was alleged to have informed the same director of how he intends to appeal to the Speaker of Parliament, write to the university chancellor and use the press to resolve his concerns contrary to Regulation 6 (II) of the Code of Conduct handbook 2015-16 and inciting others to riot and breach peace contrary to regulation 6 (iv) of the code.
However, justice Muntonyi in her judgment faulted the Students Disciplinary Committee for the decision it took to expel the duo law students, saying the committee didn’t have the authority to do so since such powers to expel students are vested in the Vice Chancellor.
