Judiciary sacks magistrate caught sitting exams for another person

The Judicial Service Commission has sacked a recently appointed grade one magistrate, Mr Ammaari Musa Ssemwogerere after he was remanded to Lira main prison on charges of impersonation and uttering a false document.

According to the Chief Registrar, Sarah Langa Siu, whereas Mr Ssemwogerere was appointed a Judicial Officer on June 12, 2023 by the Judicial Service Commission alongside 86 other persons to the position of Magistrate Grade One on probation, he will not be employed since his offence is contrary to the Penal Code Act and the code of conduct of the judicial officers.

"The Judiciary would like to inform the general public that Mr Ssemwogerere Ammaari Musa, one of the newly recruited Magistrates Grade I will not be employed into the Judiciary Service," a Friday evening statement from the Judiciary statement read in part.

It added: "Earlier today [yesterday], Mr Ssemwogerere was remanded to Lira Main Prison having been charged at the Lira Chief Magistrates Court on two counts of uttering a false document contrary to Section 351 of the Penal Code Act and Impersonation contrary to Section 381 of the Penal Code Act. The Judiciary reiterates its commitment in upholding its core values of independence, impartiality, transparency, professionalism, integrity, and accountability."

Information from the director of Law Development Centre (LDC), Mr Frank Nigel Othembi indicates that Mr Ssemwogerere was on July 26, 2023 found sitting an examination for one of the Bar Course students, known as Trene Mutonyi at the LDC, Lira campus.

"We have since determined that the said 'Mukisa Anthony' [names he used as an imposter] is actually Ssemwogerere Ammaari Musa, a recently appointed Magistrate Grade I in the Uganda Judiciary," Mr Othembi said in the Friday statement.

"We have [also] brought this matter to the attention of the Judicial Service Commission and the Judiciary. We reported the matter to the Police and he has been charged with two counts of forgery, one count of impersonation and remanded to prison until August 3, 2023," he added.

Mr Othembi further vowed to ensure that the case is fully prosecuted to its conclusion, including all other culpable person.

Yesterday, LDC completed the first week of the final written examinations across all its three campuses; Kampala, Lira and Mbarara. The exams are expected to run up to Friday, next week.

LDC director condemned Ssemwogerere's act saying the Law Centre does not condone any act of examination malpractice.

"We will continue with our zero tolerance policy towards any such conduct [of examination malpractices]," he noted.