Justice Kabiito sworn in as Judicial Service Commission chair

Kabiito swears in. PHOTO @eyotaruolive

New members of the judicial service commission sworn in, cautioned against corruption

The seven newly appointed members of the Judicial Service Commission have been sworn for a four-year term.

They are led by Justice Kabiito Banjamin Isingoma as chairperson and Justice Faith Mwondha as deputy respectively.

The other five Commissioners are former Uganda Law Society president Ruth Sebatindira, Norah Matovu Winyi, Dr Laban Nnini Kirya, former Sheema woman MP Rose Nyakikongoro, former Teso State minister Amongin Aporu and  Justin A. Mugabi.

They took their oaths of office before the Chief Justice Bert Katureebe during a ceremony on Monday, December 05, 2016 at the High Court in Kampala.

Upon taking oath, Justice Kabiito pledged on behalf of his team to build from what the old commission left, and confront the challenges that the commission faces.

The other Commissioners are former Uganda Law Society president Ruth Sebatindira, Norah Matovu Winyi, Dr Laban Nnini Kirya, former Sheema woman MP Rose Nyakikongoro, former Teso State minister Amongin Aporu and  Justin A. Mugabi.

Justice Kabiito disclosed that the Judicial Service Commission has will work tirelessly to clear a backlog of more than 300 unfinished cases to restore public confidence in the judiciary.

“Your lordship, we shall ensure that criminal cases against errant officers are conducted in a swift and fair manner because the complainants and the affected judicial officers expect a quick resolution of these complaints such that confidence entrusted in us is not in vain,” said Kabiito.

Chief Justice Katureebe called on the newly sworn in members of the JSC to take time and scrutinize all lawyers before recommending them as judges and  judicial officer. He said this should not be only by just looking at mere academic qualification but rather the whole personality of a person.

The CJ Katureebe , told the 7 members that they join the commission “at a time when there are a lot of challenges that do not need to be handled with kid gloves”

He stressed that it was important to preserve the public’s confidence in the judiciary because the judiciary is under scrutiny, on accusations of incompetence and corruption.

He also cautioned the commission against sweeping case files under the carpet especially those against them because corruption is a cancer and therefore, they all have to be subjected to inquiry and prosecution.

President Yoweri Museveni named High Court Judge  Kabiito to replace  Justice James Ogoola who retired in February this year after his four-year term elapsed and was not eligible for reappointment.  He had turned 70, the retirement age.

The JSC’s main mandate is to recruit judicial officers and regulate their conduct.

Chief Justice swears in 29 Justices of Peace

Twenty nine Prisons Officers at the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Prisons have been sworn in as Justices of Peace by the Chief Justice at the High court in Kampala .

A justice of the peace is a judicial officer, of a lower court, who acts as an independent and objective witness to documents people use for official or legal purposes.

With this oath they will help inmates who cannot afford a lawyer, to swear affidavits to be used in their cases, or remand a suspect for 10 days in the absence of a magistrate.

While swearing them in, Chief Justice Katureebe cautioned them on the oath they have taken, saying they have not suddenly become judges, asserting that he does not want to hear them conducting trials and sentencing suspects.

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editor@independent.co.ug