Serious issues should not be addressed through press release- Chief Justice to Bamugemereire

By Mubiru Ivan

The head of Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters Justice Catherine Bamugemereire  last week exposed the rot in the country’s Judiciary by revealing how judges connive with land grabbers.

She condemned the “bogus judgements and orders” in the eviction of bibanja holders, and warned that if the Judiciary, “does not rise to the occasion, it will be captured wholly by land grabbers and used as a catalyst of untold social distress arising from pressure on land”.

In response, Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has criticized Bamugemereire for the mode used by her commission to communicate matters of such serious nature.

“We would have expected the commission to communicate findings of such a serious nature in form of an interim report to the president, not a press release,” said Katureebe.

“Nonetheless, we will further study the Press Release and try to work on it appropriately. Any judicial officer found to have acted outside the law will be dealt with accordingly,” he added.

On the other hand, the Principal Judge, Dr. Yorokamu Bamwine, said the actions of a few judicial officers should not be used to brand the entire judiciary a culprit.

“Lately, we are encouraging judicial officers to conduct judicial processes in a more transparent manner so as to enhance public trust and confidence in the judiciary,” said Dr. Bamwine.