CJ criticises Bamugemereire over attack on judiciary
Chief Justice Bart Katurebe. FILE PHOTO
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Justice Katurebe displayed a dossier written to him by Justice Bamugemereire in which she named several judicial officers allegedly involved in violating principles by issuing out injunction orders on matters of land that are before her commission
Kampala. Chief Justice Bart Katurebe has lashed out at the Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters, Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, over attacks on judicial officers and the Judiciary, describing some of her reports as “laughable”.
While addressing the annual conference of magistrates in Kampala on Friday, Justice Katurebe displayed a dossier written to him by Justice Bamugemereire in which she named several judicial officers allegedly involved in violating principles by issuing out injunction orders on matters of land that are before her commission.
“I have asked my chief inspector of courts and his team to study this thing, give me a report then we shall decide which cases needs to be investigated and which cases really points out one thing that the Commission is going beyond its terms of reference,” he said.
Justice Katurebe said while he was away in Mombasa Kenya for the East African Judges and Magistrates Association meeting, Justice Bamugemereire wrote to President Museveni citing a lot of “ill and corruption” in the Judiciary especially in handling cases of land and alleged that the Chief Justice was frustrating her work.
“…what the Commission should have done is to submit a report because my understanding of commissions of inquiry is that they submit reports to the appointing authority,” he said.
President Museveni is the appointing authority.
Justice Katureebe said Justice Bamugemereire read the document to the President in the presence of the Deputy Chief Justice Alphose Owiny-Dollo and Principal Judge Yorakam Bamwine. “Now, apparently for making that stand, I got into all sorts of trouble but I will not go into it. So, these are the things we are facing. These are judicial officers, these are lawyers but they think it helps them to burn the forest in which they live,” Justice Katurebe added.
He, however, said he does not wish to “fight against anybody” but hinted that he will continue defending judicial officers where necessary.
