On the other side of the judiciary, a deputy registrar of the High Court and a chief magistrate have been dismissed from judicial service with immediate effect after being found guilty of abusing their authority while handling court cases.
“The Commission, in exercise of its mandate under Article 148 of the Constitution, dismissed both judicial officers from the judicial service with immediate effect,” the statement goes.
Ms. Cissy Mudhasi Kawuma, a deputy registrar, and Ms. Ruth Nabaasa, a chief magistrate, were both on interdiction at the time of their dismissal. Registrar Mudhasi, formerly attached to Masaka High Court, had been on interdiction for more than five years, while Ms. Nabaasa, formerly attached to Moroto Chief Magistrate’s Court, had been on interdiction since 2021.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
The Judiciary Service Commission (JSC) says Registrar Mudhasi was found culpable for abuse of her judicial authority when she ordered the attachment of bank accounts of Makerere University, Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council, and a private person without following proper legal procedures.
This saw the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council lose more than Shs400m from their bank accounts. The JSC dismissed Chief Magistrate Ruth Nabaasa because she handled a matter outside her jurisdiction, which caused a financial loss to a complainant.
Ms. Mudhasi was also found guilty of insubordination when she defied instructions of the Chief Justice contained in a March 19, 2020 circular put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.
This was after Ms. Mudhasi initiated execution proceedings within the suspension period, and in doing so, the JSC found her guilty of defying the orders of the Chief Justice regarding measures put in place for the safe management of the operations of the courts following the outbreak of the pandemic.
The JSC said her actions were found to amount to judicial misconduct because they contravened the Uganda Judicial Code of Conduct and the Judicial Service Commission Regulations.
The Commission said Ms. Nabaasa acted in subordination of the judicial authority of a judge of the High Court Judge, being a superior officer in the judicial hierarchy.
This was after she deliberately disregarded the orders of the judge who had directed her to determine the value of the properties and company assets, which were in contention whether or not they exceeded the jurisdiction of a chief magistrate.
The JSC established that Ms. Nabaasa entertained a matter outside her jurisdiction in disregard of the High Court order and thereby occasioned a loss to the complainant.
Also Read: Authorities Launch Investigations as Anthrax Kills Two in Kazo
