By Mulengera Reporters
The 177 pages report, which was disseminated during the Tuesday Access to Justice (A2J)/JLOS performance review meeting at Speke Resort Munyonyo, shows ways in which the Judicial Service Commission, which is one of Uganda’s Constitutional Commissions, faired during the FY2021/2022.
That the Commission, which is mandated with recruitment, mentorship and disciplining of judicial officers, received a total of 124 written complaints against judicial officers in the country. Of these, 54 were found to have some merit, the rest frivolous and disallowed. During the same FY, the Commission, which will soon be vacating its current location along MacKinnon Road in Nakasero to a safer place after KCCA advised against continued occupation of its current premises, is reputed to have registered a case or complaints clearing rate of 58.8% or 73 complaints.
The Grade I Magistrates were the most complained against with a total 28 complaints being evaluated as meriting to be inquired into. Three were against High Court judges, 5 against Deputy Registrars, 11 Chief Magistrates, two Grade 2 Magistrates, and five Court Clerks.
Whereas a total of 82 complaints were inquired into, 35 were disallowed for being frivolous and failing to disclose any credible evidence against the judicial officers whose alleged wrongdoing was being complained against.
In response to the complaints it had inquired into, the JSC decided to caution 5 judicial officers, severely reprimand one, interdicting one and one was put under some mentorship program. Another 25 disciplinary files were established and referred to the disciplinary committee of the Commission for further management and processing.
Besides spearheading the recruitment of new judges and elevation of some, the JSC also supported the administration of justice in Uganda by conducting public engagement activities and radio talk shows in a number of Ugandan districts especially in the upcountry areas. A total of 12 radio talk shows were held or conducted by JSC staffers and the communities impacted upon included those living in Pakwach, Zombo, Lira, Pader, Busia, Tororo, Kibale, Kagadi, Kaberamaido, Soroti, Iganga and Budaka. A total of 50 such radio talk show had been planned in the different parts of Uganda but only 12 were executed largely because of the resource constraints the Commission found itself under. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 0200900416 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).