JSC to meet over magistrate caught sitting exams for another person

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) is set to convene any time to review the arrest and detention of a Grade One Magistrate who was apprehended over allegedly impersonating and writing an examination for his female friend at the Law Development Center (LDC), Lira campus.

The Commission in a Tuesday statement said it’s going to assess the magistrate Ammaari Musa Ssemwogerere’s conduct regarding whether it fell below the Judicial Code of Conduct.

“Ssemwogerere was appointed on probation. The Commission is aware that he had not yet been sworn into office, which is a formal requirement before an appointee can exercise judicial functions,” JSC said.

“The Commission will at earliest opportunity convene to review the reports received of the arrest, arraignment and remand of the said Ssemwogerere on charges of impersonation and forgery of documents by the Chief Magistrates Court of Lira," the JSC added.

On July 26, Ssemwogerere was apprehended for sitting an examination for student Irene Mutonyi. On July 28, the judiciary announced the sacking of the magistrate who was appointed to the positon in July alongside 86 other judicial officers on probation.

Following his arrest, the magistrate was paraded before Lira Magistrates Court and charged with two counts of forgery and one count of impersonation before being sent to jail. He returns to court tomorrow for bail application.

The JSC is a government body that is mandated to recruit and discipline errant judicial officers among other functions.

LDC law on exam malpractice

Examination malpractice at LDC is a criminal offence which calls for dire consequences when found guilty.

Rule 24 (12) of Rules governing the Bar course provide that: “A student who is found guilty of an examination malpractice shall be dismissed from the bar course and shall not be eligible for readmission for any course at LDC.’’

Schedule 3 of the Rules governing the Bar Course, 2020 prohibits uttering false documents in relation to eligibility to sit an examination a LDC.

Hiring or procuring services of another person to sit examinations on the student’s behalf or impersonation is also considered examination malpractice.

The Law Development Center is the only institution in Uganda that offers the bar course leading to the award of the post-graduate diploma in Legal Practice.
As a lawyer, you can't be allowed to represent a litigant in court with the certificate from LDC.
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