Is Uganda’s Supreme Court working or not?

On Wednesday, 23^rd November, 2022, an opinion posting appearing on the Observer online portal claimed Uganda’s Supreme Courtroom judges are earning money for free for they are not performing.

The write-up prepared by human legal rights law firm Isaac Ssemakadde says the judges of Uganda’s best courtroom have not labored due to the fact 27^th April, 2022 soon after a hearth reportedly burned down section of the Chief Justice’s chambers.

Subsequently, Supreme Courtroom premises ended up shut to undertake overall lengthy overdue renovations of the courtroom which experienced turn into unhabitable.

Main Justice Owiny-Dollo certain members of the public that the Supreme Court docket would maintain running partly with Justices working remotely and the court’s operations functioning digitally.

So, is it true Supreme Court docket Judges are earning absolutely free income?

“The bare minimum get-home pay out (wage and added benefits) of a justice of the Supreme court is Shs 30 million. For now, that will come to Shs 210 million for every justice for no operate done in the earlier 7 months. Collectively, that is far more than Shs 1.7 billion thrown absent by the taxpayer on esteemed customers of the apex courtroom who are continuing to receive without having functioning (just for the reason that there is a creating currently being renovated) and nevertheless there are several solutions available to them experienced they sought after to reveal initiative, fidelity and accountability.” Mr Isaac Ssemakadde writes.

Opposite to this assertion, formal info from the Judiciary shows the Supreme Court docket judges have been operating – with scenario listening to performed at the Judiciary headquarters, though Judiciary officials admit it has not been doing the job “to the highest.”

As a final result, the Supreme Court docket has not achieved its situation disposal targets.

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Publicly available facts signifies the Supreme Courtroom conducted pre-hearing proceedings in 88 criminal appeals between Could and July, 2022 23 conditions heard on May 12^th, 31 instances listened to on June 24, and 34 cases heard on July 12^th.

In the similar period of time, the Supreme Court docket shipped 11 judgments or rulings in Civil apps and primary Civil appeals.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court docket expects to hear 45 civil and felony appeals for the duration of the time period of November and December.