Judiciary has directed disciplinary action against two magistrates and five support staff following the recent investigation by the institution’s anti-corruption task force.
The accused staff whose names withheld include; two magistrates, two office attendants, two court clerks and process servers attached to Wakiso, Goma, City Hall, Mukono and Nabweru.
The implicated staff are among those who appeared in last year’s media reports on corruption tendencies at selected courts arising from investigative stories conducted by local media outlets.
According to chief justice, Bart Katureebe, judiciary’s top management had reviewed the report of task force in 2019 and directed chief registrar to change the implicated magistrates and refer them to the disciplinary committee.
“The permanent secretary was directed to interdict the five support staff and take disciplinary action in accordance with public service standing orders. It is the disciplinary process which will determine whether to forward the implicated official to the judicial service commission and public service commission for action,” he said
Established under instruction no. 4 of 2019, dated July 30, 2019, the task force was mandated to investigate allegations of corruption published in electronic media and print between June and July.
The task force interfaced with media and reviewed media materials and related documents, interviewed the implicated individuals and conducted field visits in the process of execution their mandate.
The report highlights a number of challenges affecting the delivery of judicial services including poor infrastructure, inhuman sanitary conditions, and inadequate security among others.
The nine member task force was led by high court judge Dr. Immaculate Busingye, high court Judge Vicent Emmy Mugabo, Susan Abinyo, Deputy Registrar Rosemary Bareebe, assistant registrar Ayebare Tumwebaze, principal human resource officer Patrick Barugahare, principal communication office Solomon Muyita and advocate Eva Kentaro Mugerwa.
