The new Chief Justice of Uganda, Alphonse Owiny-Dollo has called upon all Ugandans to join the Judiciary administration in fighting corruption, the vice which he says has contributed to unequal dispensation of justice.
Addressing the press at Parliament immediately after being confirmed by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Dollo emphasized that justice is free and never for sale as many take it to be.
“The Judiciary never goes to the market to say that justice is for sale but it’s you, when you have a case, then you go to magistrates and clerks, bribe them with an intention of winning the case,” Dollo said.
He noted that corruption is a bad act involving two parties and therefore to end it, the members of the public should help the Judiciary by not taking the bribes to Judicial officers as well as report those they have proof that are corrupt.
He also expressed the need to have the number of magistrates and Judges increased for quicker dispensation of justice as well as reducing case backlogs within the court system.
On the retirement age of judges, Dollo suggested that this should be slightly increased so that they can be given more time to carry on their duties instead of retiring at an early age.
“High court judges retire at 65 years when they can still perform very well. Immediately after most of these judges retire, other countries take them on for the next 5 years and beyond,” he said.
He suggested that High Court judges should retire at 70 years, the appellate judges at 75 years and the Magistrates at 65 years.
Last week President Museveni appointed Dollo as the new Chief Justice replacing Hon Bart Katureebe Magunda who retired early this year after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.
The new Deputy Chief Justice replacing Dollo is Justice Richard Buteera, a Supreme Court judge who was also confirmed by the appointments committee on Wednesday that he is fit to take over that new office.
Source – chimpreports.com
