Uganda's Chief Justice Closes East African Court of Justice Sensitization Workshop in Kampala

East African Community Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania, 2 November 2011: Hon. Benjamin J. Odoki, Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda has this afternoon closed the two-day workshop on the role of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in the East African Community (EAC) integration process at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Uganda.

Addressing participants, the Chief Justice stated that the insufficient visibility, limited capacity of the Court in terms of inadequate organizational structure, human and financial resources should be addressed in order for it (Court) to play its role as envisaged in the Treaty establishing the EAC. He said the Court needs the political will and support of the entire EAC in order to discharge its crucial mandate.

The Chief Justice commended the decision of the Council of Ministers to allow the Court to open sub-registries in the Partner States and asserted that the region must appreciate that "we live in extra ordinary and dynamic times, and society will make us irrelevant if we do not respond to thier needs".

"No doubt society is calling upon us to deliver to it full justice as it is required, justice without corruption whether accepted or not, justice with dignity and execellence and justice that addresses people's human rights and society" declared Hon. Odoki.

Uganda's Chief Justice called upon Partner States to find additional powers to support required reforms with the EACJ because it had demonstrated that even with the limited mandate, it had made commendable milestones and urged the Partner States to utilize the Court's facility as an arbitral tribunal.

The Chief Justice urged national judiciaries to continue extending cooperation to EACJ as such collaboration will contribute to the harmonization of the regional jurisprudence as well as national laws leading to the creation of a robust legal environment that will inspire confidence in the region by various investors. Read more

The Fight Against Criminals Mustn't Criminalise Living

When tragedy claims a prominent Ugandan, it is not unusual for us to desperately look for answers to why it happened, and for public officials to reactively devise solutions.

Many Ugandans are still appalled at last Monday's heart-wrenching murder of renowned prosecutor Joan Namazzi Kagezi, gunned down right before her children. We join her family, friends and the rest of Uganda to mourn a woman acclaimed as an accomplished professional.

During Thursday's requiem service at St Luke's Church in Ntinda, police chief Kale Kayihura argued that the constitutional requirement to produce suspects in court in 48 hours was one of the reasons criminals like those who killed Kagezi thrived.

Gen Kayihura reasoned that such a requirement hampers police work because it is too difficult to gather requisite evidence in 48 hours so as to be able to take someone to court.

With all due respect, we think the police boss needs to find other explanations for failure to resolve murders. As chief justice Bart Katureebe argued in church, the urgent need to fight murderers and terrorists should not compromise the rule of law, which is underpinned by respect for human rights. Read more

4 Charged in Uganda-Based Counterfeit US Currency Scheme

PITTSBURGH — A Nevada high school student and a Pennsylvania man who allegedly published a web-based guide on how to pass counterfeit money in casinos have been indicted along with two others in a Uganda-based scheme that produced more than $1.5 million in high-quality counterfeit bills, authorities announced Thursday.
The indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh alleges the bogus money was manufactured in Uganda and packaged inside boxes of brochures that appeared to be from a Christian-based charity for poor African children.
Ryan Andrew Gustafson, 27, of Uganda, is accused of producing fake $20, $50 and $100 bills and selling them through an online group, Community-X, he created on the so-called "dark Web" — a network of encrypted Internet sites that allow users to remain anonymous. Read more

Sobs as throngs eulogise slain Joy Kagezi

Hundreds of the late Joan Kagezi's family, friends, professional colleagues from the legal fraternity and government gathered at St. Luke's church Ntinda on Thursday morning (April 2) for her last funeral service, ahead of her burial later in the afternoon. 

The late Kagezi, who was principal State Attorney in the DPP's office was gunned down on Monday evening by unknown assilians in the presence of three of her children. She will laid to rest at Buka near Kampala.

CJ Bart Katureebe at the service

Gen. Kale Kaihura laying a wreath

Sekandi arriving at the service

Uganda bombing trial stalls after top prosecutor assassinated

Police stand guard on March 31, 2015 at the scene in a suburb in Kampala where Uganda's acting assistant director of public prosecution Joan Kagezi was shot dead the previous day (AFP Photo/Isaac Kasamani)

Kampala (AFP) - A key trial in Uganda of 13 men accused of taking part in Al-Shebab bombings that killed 76 people in 2010 was postponed Tuesday after the top prosecutor was shot dead.

Police on Tuesday vowed to catch the killers of Joan Kagezi, acting assistant director of public prosecution, who was murdered by men on a motorbike as she drove home with three of her children on Monday evening.

The identity of the gunmen and their motive remains unclear, police said.

Minister of Information Jim Muhwezi said the "crime will not go unpunished", while police chief Kale Kayihura said "her death is a big loss to the country."

She was shot twice, in the neck and in the shoulder, after stopping her car to buy fruit on the side of the road in a suburb of the capital Kampala. Her three children were unhurt.

"The murder of Joan Kagezi should only serve to increase our resolve to hunt down and bring to justice all those elements bent on disturbing the security and development of our country," Kayihura added. Read more

Gov't to give prosecutors protection

Kagezi, who has been the lead prosecutor in the July 2010 terror suspects' trial, was shot dead Monday evening by unknown hitmen riding a motorcycle near her home in Najjera, a Kampala suburb.

In a meeting with legislators on the Human Rights committee on Tuesday, Otafire, in response to concerns by the committee chairperson, Joviah Kamateka about Kagezi's murder, regretted what he described as "a tragic oversight".

"I have spoken with the Director of Public Prosecutions about this and we are going to put in place mechanisms to protect prosecutors," Otafire said.

Otafire told MPs that upon his appointment as minister of justice and constitutional affairs two years ago, his idea for the state to offer protection to prosecutors handling high profile cases was knocked back by the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).Read more

Land grabbing: Judiciary told to protect widows

Speaking at the launch of a report on property grabbing from Ugandan widows in Mukono district, Chibita said that land grabbing from vulnerable people has been exacerbated by a system that sometimes does not adequately respond to the needs of such people, often lending credence to the common talk that “justice is only for the rich.”

“We have heard that the criminal justice system in these matters is not adequate; often leaving women defenseless. This is a serious indictment,” Chibita said during the launch of the report entitled: Property Grabbing from Ugandan widows and the justice system response; a mixed-methods assessment in Mukono County, Uganda. Acknowledging the weaknesses in enforcement, Chibita called for greater commitment from all concerned parties in addressing the loopholes.

“This is not the time to apportion blame. This is time for action. It is time for justice to reign. This report is an opportunity for us to stand and be counted, to ensure that justice prevails,” he said during the half day session at Protea Hotel in Kampala. Read more