President Museveni through the Judicial Service Commission Chairperson Justice Dr Douglas Singiza has awarded a one-year contract to Justice Alex Ajiji of the Criminal Division of the High Court.
Justice Ajiji a career judicial officer is among the judicial officers who clocked the retirement age of 65 years. However, the Judicial Service Commission wrote to the President asking for extension of his tenure through a contract to conclude the trial involving the murder of Suzan Magara who was kidnapped and killed after his killers asked her relatives for Shs700m.
Justice Ajiji placed the suspects who included; Abas Buvumbo, Yusuf Lubega, Hussein Wasswa, Muzamiru Ssali, Hassan Kato Miiro, Hajara Nakandi, Abubaker Kyewolwa, Mahad Kasalita, and Ismail Buckeye on defence.
However, the matter was halted after defence lawyers claimed that the constitution bars the judge from presiding over a matter after reaching retirement age.
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Earlier, the judge dismissed the accused’s application seeking his recusal from their matter on allegation of being biased against them after he dismissed their human rights enforcement application on grounds that during the arrest and interrogation by security operatives and detectives, they were tortured badly.
According to the State, the accused allegedly kidnapped and murdered Magara on February 28, 2018, after securing a ransom of Shs700m which they are denying.
This website further established that through his State House contacts; Justice Ajiji is lobbying for promotion to the Court of Appeal which also doubles as the Constitutional Court.
It should be remembered that Museveni awarded Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi a one year contract to conclude Sheikh Muhammad Kamoga and other Muslim leaders terrorism and murder case. He was also immediately promoted to Court of Appeal and tgen to the Supreme Court where he served until he retiredafter clocking 70 years
Justice Muhanguzi was a brother to late Gen Elly Tumwine while Ajiji’s wife is a personal assistant to the first lady who is also the senior minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni.
