Uganda Judicial Officers Association (UJOA), an umbrella for Judges, Registrars and Magistrates has asked the Uganda Law Society (ULS) to punish Lawyers Hassan Male Mabirizi and Isaac Ssemakadde for their unethical conduct, particularly attacking Judicial officers on social media.
UJOA President Justice Tadeo Asiimwe, in a letter dated 1st February 2022, noted that continuous attacks against the Judicial Officers affect their performance and stains their image.
“The Uganda Judicial Officers Association has learnt of the unbecoming utterances attributed to Mr. Isaac Ssemakadde, an advocate, through his Twitter handle @lsaacSsemakadde directed to some Judicial officers,” the letter reads in part.
It adds, “The same call for action arose out of a decision that found Mr. Male Mabirizi in contempt of Court and recommended sanctions against him. Mr. Male made similar insults via his Twitter handle @MalemabiriziHKK on various dates.”
Asiimwe said it’s unfortunate that derogatory statements as seen on twitter, came from lawyers who are aware that there are well established mechanisms for addressing their dissatisfaction from any court decision.
“We urge the Uganda Law Society and the Law Council to take it necessary action to tame this irrelevant behaviour which severely impacts on judicial officers in the same performance of their official duties,” the letter concluded.
However, Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has petitioned the same body, (ULS) seeking disciplinary action against, and compensation from Justice Musa Ssekaana who fined him Shs 300 million for attacking a High Court judge.
“It’s unfortunate that the cowardly Judge, Musa Ssekaana, who is facing multiple disciplinary actions in Judicial Service Commission, has resorted to using your office to solve his personal unethical challenges,” Mabirizi wrote in his petition.
He added that it’s not true that he has ever insulted any Judge or Judicial Officer, being a renowned ‘rule of law champion’ that he is.
