High Court judge Ketrah Kitariisibwa Katunguka has ordered that the late Lady Justice Mary Stella Arach Amoko be buried at her ancestral home as she wished.
Justice Arach Amoko died at Nakasero on June 17, 2023. Following her death, the judiciary issued a funeral program that the deceased justice was to be buried in Nebbi and later released another one showing that she would be buried in Adjumani on June 23,2023.
This prompted the deceased’s children through their lawyers to serve a cease and desist on the Judiciary and on June 22, 2023 vide the Chief Registrar’s letter a postponement of the burial program was communicated; new dates were to be communicated later.
On June 22, 2023 the late Arach’s’s children filed an application challenging the Ambassador Idule Amoko’s decision to bury their mother in Arra Parish, Pachara Sub-county, Adjumani.
Initially justice Arach-Amoko wished to be laid to rest at her family ancestral home/burial ground at Jukiya Hill Ward, Juba village, Nebbi District in accordance with the customary law of Ker Kwaro Kaal Jonam.
Ambassador Amoko claimed that in Madi to which community he belongs, that a lady who is deceased is buried in the burial grounds of the family where she is married in proximity with her spouse and that becomes her ancestral home, unless she wills otherwise or was divorced at the time of death.
“The application against Ambassador Amoko succeeds. The late Hon. Justice Mary Stella Arach-Amoko shall be buried at Jukiya Hill Ward, Juba Village Nebbi District,” court ruled.
Court directed that the attorney general and ambassador Amoko in consultation with the applicants should immediately commence the burial arrangements of the late Arach-Amoko.
“Ambassador Amoko and his family members shall freely attend the funeral of the late Justice Arach-Amoko who shall be buried at Jukiya Hill Ward, Juba Village Nebbi District; without any disturbance. Her burial shall not be further delayed by any party’s intended responses or reactions to this Ruling,” Court ruled.
