By Mulengera Reporters
Relatives of Geoffrey Kazinda, the former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), have appealed to the Uganda Law Society (ULS) to intervene and push for a long-awaited ruling by the Supreme Court, which they believe could finally bring an end to their 13-year legal ordeal.
In their petition, presented during a ULS public engagement on Wednesday, November 12, the family urged ULS to amplify their plea for judicial accountability and ensure that the court delivers its judgment on Kazinda’s pending appeal.
According to the family, the appeal was lodged five (5) years ago by the Attorney General (AG), yet no ruling has been issued. They contend that Kazinda should have been released following a Constitutional Court decision that nullified all charges against him in 2020, a judgment that was later stayed by an injunction obtained by the AG, allowing the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to continue prosecuting him.
Kazinda, currently serving a 25-year sentence at Luzira Prison for illicit enrichment, maintains that the charges lack merit and would be void if the Supreme Court upholds the Constitutional Court’s earlier decision.
His 82-year-old mother, Teopista Nanfuka, expressed deep distress over the prolonged delay, lamenting that her frail health no longer allows her to visit her son in prison.
“I fear I might die before seeing him free,” she said, adding that Kazinda’s projected release date in 2046 feels unbearably far.
Family representative Peter Lubulwa voiced cautious optimism, saying the family still believes justice will prevail once the Supreme Court issues its ruling.
The family also questioned what would happen to the case if the Chief Justice, who chaired the panel that heard Kazinda’s appeal, retires before the verdict is delivered.
Responding to the petition, the ULC confirmed it has taken up the matter for follow-up as part of its ongoing efforts to promote transparency and accountability within the judiciary.
If the Supreme Court rules in Kazinda’s favor, it could mark the end of one of Uganda’s most drawn-out legal battles, a case that has tested both the pace and the credibility of the country’s justice system. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
