The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The judiciary has interdicted its driver Stanley Kisambira. Kisambira was arrested last week and charged with hate speech after an audio clip went viral.
In the clip, Kisambira is heard saying that he would cause suicide and kill his principal and bodyguard and himself in an accident protesting low pay.
On Thursday, the Chief Magistrate of the Standards Utilities and Wildlife Court Gladys Kamasanyu granted Kisambira a non-cash bail of 10 million Shillings.
But in a letter dated May 25, 2023, written by the Permanent Secretary of the Judiciary Pius Bigirimana, Kisambira has been interdicted.
In the letter, Bigirimana noted that following the audio recordings by Kisambira, disciplinary proceedings had been instituted against Kisambira.
“In accordance with regulation 38 (1)(b) of the Public Service Commission Regulations, 2009, and Section F-s paragraph 17 of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, 2021 you are hereby interdicted from exercising your functions as a driver with immediate effect,” Bigirimana wrote.
According to the letter, while on interdiction, Kisambira shall not attend work and is required to hand over the office and shall receive half pay. Kisambira was also barred from appearing within or around his duty station including all other courts or leaving the country without prior written permission and express authorization from the Permanent Secretary or Secretary to the Judiciary respectively.
The interdiction letter is copied to the Chief Justice, his deputy, the Principal Judge, and the Chief Registrar.
The law states that where an officer is interdicted, the responsible officer is mandated to ensure that investigations are done expeditiously in any case within (three) 3 months for cases that do not involve the Police and Courts and 6 months for cases that involve the Police and Courts of Law.
Court heard that on May 12th, 2023 within Uganda, Kisambira through a computer shared on the Judiciary Transport WhatsApp group information recorded audio which was likely to promote hostility against judges in the Judiciary.
According to the prosecution, Kisambira reportedly indicated that the Judges’ salaries are unfairly over and above those of their drivers and that a driver can decide to cause a road accident by ramming into a moving truck thereby killing the Judges and their bodyguards.
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