Opposition Chief whip in parliament and also Jinja South Division East legislator Paul Mwiru has narrated how magistrates and other judicial officers secretly pleaded with them not take it personal when they make decisions in cases involving their supporters.
Mwiru added that these magistrates told them that they are also working under pressure and orders without considering the law they studied in universities.
He revealed that on several occasions, after hearing bail applications, magistrates and other judicial officers secretly engage the defence lawyers and advise them on specific government officials including top judicial officers who they have to plead with them to allow their applications.
“Opposition legislators in parliament support laws which shield the independence of the judiciary including increasing their salaries and their retirement package. We do this to give them the confidence that they should not to be intimidated when delivering justice which is one of the core factors of democracy, but they betrayed Ugandans by collaborating with those violating the country’s supreme law which is the Constitution,” Mwiru said.
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He added that incompetence and bias in the judiciary is fueled because recruitment judicial officers is now based on nepotism revealing that most of the current magistrates are girlfriends and boyfriends to military officers, top government officials who only place them in the judiciary to get what to do to earn a living.
Samuel Muyizzi one of the leading lawyers of the leading opposition party the National Unity Platform (NUP) revealed that some magistrates especially in Kampala summon them to their chambers and plead with them not to incite their supporters against them noting that they also do not support the violation of the laws of the land but they are working on orders.
Ono Bwino has established that a number of magistrates are scared after learning that very soon they are going to be sanctioned by top developed countries together with their immediate family members.
Ono Bwino has learnt that Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) the NUP president has been advocating and lobbying some countries to sanction specific judicial officers wgo have been cited in persecuting opposition supporters and leaders.
It should be noted that Bobi Wine played a significant role in sanctioning of government officials including former speaker of parliament Annet Anita Among, minister Marry Goretti Kitutu, Agness Nandutu.
Military officials who have been sanctioned include: Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeeyi, Maj Gen James Birungi, Maj Gen Don Nabasa. A number of others were sanctioned by United States, European Union countries and United Kingdom
Sources in judiciary claim that it is because of that pressure that Luzira principal Magistrate Sheilla Gloria Atim delivered a powerful defence of judicial independence, constitution rights and the rule of law when she was releasing a 73-year-old former ethics and integrity minister and also activists Maria Matembe who was kidnapped, charged and remanded to Luzira prison on charges of Sectarianism.
“I am but a simple human being entrusted with a noble and heavy mandate to do justice to all in line with Article 126 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. This is no mean feat,” she said.
She added, “Judicial integrity does not always involve shunning bribes, along with fighting corruption, it is also the requirement of a judicial officer to have a strong mind that is only swayed by the law and relevant facts at hand. I owe allegiance to Uganda. I can only make a decision that I can live with, with a clear conscience.”
“As a judicial officer with a Christian Catholic background, I am fortified in the decision I am about to deliver; and pray that God shall be my Judge. Having judiciously and meticulously weighed one factor against the other,” she said.
