Incarcerated city lawyer Male Mabirizi has petitioned Justice Stephen Musota of the Supreme Court in his capacity as the Inspectorate of Courts over Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ritah Kidasa Wanyama.
Mabirizi accuses Kidasa of violating the clear provisions of the Constitution and recusal practice direction of 2019 issued by former Chief Justice Bart Katureebe.
“What happens when a judicial officer deliberately disobeys a clear legal provision to achieve her personal goals? Is this not corruption? Why refuse to hear a recusal application but hear a bail application. This magistrate has a problem which needs your investigation,” Mabirizi’s letter reads in part.
He narrated to Justice Musota that since 3rd February, he has been asking Kidasa to recuse herself from presiding over the criminal proceeding against him on grounds that she is biased but she has been dismissing them even though they are clear grounds.
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He cited the complaint filed against her before the Judicial Service Commission seeking for her removal from judiciary on grounds of incompetence.
Justice Musota has not yet responded to Mabirizi’s letter.
However, it should be noted that he also has a personal misunderstanding with him which resulted from a petition he filed before the parliamentary appointments committee challenging his appointment as judge of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Since his appointment at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, Justice Musota has been recusing himself from all matters involving Mabirizi without waiting for his recusal applications.
Since February, Mabirizi has been in prison on charges resulting from a complaint filed by Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija and Justice Musa Ssekaana who allege that he used his social media platforms to make malicious statements against them.
Mabirizi applied for bail but his application was dismissed by Kidasa on grounds that he presented expired national identity card even though after explaining to her that the process of renewing the said cards was still ongoing.
