Jailed DPC final appeal fails to proceed

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Five Justices of the Supreme Court have resolved to push to the next criminal session later in the year, the appeal hearing of jailed Mukono DPC James Peter Aurien, after his lawyer indicated he was not ready to proceed.

Aurien was sentenced to death in November 2010 by the High Court for shooting his wife Christine Apolot on suspicion that she had an extramarital affair.

However the DPC survived the hanging punishment in 2016 when Court of Appeal reduced his death sentence to 40 years in jail, on account that he has a chance to reform.

Aurien then said he would further appeal the 40-year jail term in the Supreme Court, the highest appellate court in the country, mantaining he is not the one who killed his wife.

Aurien’s lawyer Andrew Ssebugwawo informed the panel led by Justice Stella Arach Amoko on Thursday that all he received from the lower court to pursue his client’s appeal, was a record of proceedings but not exhibits which were equally important to his case. He said he needed more time to consult his client on these exhibits he received only two days ago.

This surprised the judges who had come ready to hear this appeal having fixed the same in December last year.

Justice Arach then informed the defence lawyer of how Thursday was the end of this criminal session that started early this year, meaning he ought to have paid more attention to the role of the Supreme Court vis-a-vis that of the trial court.