Prime
2 judicial officers dismissed from service over corruption
The dismissal followed a meeting involving top judicial officials.
Two judicial officers at the rank of magistrate have been dismissed from judicial service with immediate effect after they were found guilty of engaging in corruption.
John Kavuma, a Grade One Magistrate, and Ms Agnes Napio, a Grade Two Magistrate, were dismissed by the Judicial Service Commission during a meeting held on February 21.
Also affected is Mr Deo Nizeyimana, a deputy registrar, who has been reprimanded.
Magistrate Napio
Documents that this publication has seen show that magistrate Napio while working at Nakawa Court, allegedly solicited a bribe of Shs1m from Vincent Egesa as an inducement to reverse a custody ruling in a family case No. 251 of 2016; Linda Patience Vs Amam Vincent Egesa.
She was accordingly charged with two counts of acting in contravention of the Uganda Code of Judicial Services and corruption.
“The commission considered all the grounds that you pleaded lenient of the penalty recommended but determined that there were no grounds of mitigation given the grave nature of the accusations that the act of solicitation of a bribe and being found with the gratification of Shs700,000 upon arrest,” read in part the dismissal letter to magistrate Napio.
Adding: “In these circumstances, the commission resolved that you (magistrate Napio) be dismissed from judicial service with immediate effect.”
Magistrate Kavuma
The Commission accused Kavuma of having solicited Shs4m to secure a nolle prosequi (a formal notice of abandonment) in a case of Uganda Vs Sekijjumba Victor where the accused was charged with murder and yet dropping of charges against a suspect is the mandate of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), not a judicial official.
He was subsequently, charged with corruption and abuse of office.
According to the commission, basing on the evidence that was adduced before it, magistrate Kavuma was found to have committed the aforementioned offences.
“The Commission took into account your 18 years of judicial service and experience and concluded that the level of knowledge and skill acquired over the years should have informed you that the issuance of a Nolle Prosequi is for the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider not a function of a judicial officer of your standing, to advise upon,” held the commission.
Adding: “The Commission resolved that you be dismissed from the judicial service with immediate effect.”
Registrar Nizeyimana
The Commission accused registrar Deo Nizeyimana of relying on a faulty newspaper advert that contained only a gate, to order for the sale of the property of one of the parties that appeared before him, which made it difficult for the complainants to identify that the property being advertised was theirs.
He was also accused of having relied on a fatally flawed evaluation report to authorise the sale of a litigant’s property because the valuer in his report, stated that having failed to access the property, he instead relied on office data of similar properties to come up with the value.
He was to that effect, charged with abuse of judicial authority and insubordination.
The Commission found him liable of indiscipline for having failed to exercise utmost care and diligence into making an inquiry as to why the first bailiff failed to identify property to enable them execute the first warrant.
“The Commission thus resolved that you (registrar Nizeyimana) be severely reprimanded and the penalty be entered onto your service record,” held the commission.
