Judiciary explains Supreme Court drama involving Justice Esther Kisakye & CJ Owiny Dollo

Uganda’s Judiciary spokesperson Solomon Muyita has spoken out on the drama that ensued March 18 afternoon in the Supreme Court in Kampala, involving Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and Justice Esther Kisakye.

On March 18, drama ensued in the Supreme Court in Kampala when eight justices of the highest court in the land walked out on Kisakye.

Kisakye had insisted on delivering her minority ruling on the withdrawal of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s petition.

But she could not locate her ruling file.

Her colleagues walked out on her, power and the public address system were switched off.

She accused CJ Owiny Dollo of ordering the confiscation of her ruling file, switching off of power and public address system, and commanding his colleagues to walk out on her.

In a morning interview with NBS, Muyita sought to explain what happened on Thursday.

Here was his explanation:

Yesterday, Justice Kisakye had indicated that her ruling wasn’t ready. When they asked her to circulate, she said she was finalizing something. After the health break, she hadn’t come back by 1:30 pm and they had to wait for her up to 2:00pm.

The Cheif Justice sent for her and when she came she said she wasn’t willing to share her ruling. The other justices didn’t find this proper so they didn’t follow her to the courtroom.

Previously, Justice Kisaakye had received copies of the other justices and they expected the same from her. That doesn’t mean they intended to change anything.

The practice is every case that comes, the justices work on it together. In this particular case, I learnt that the justices agreed that some of them would generate their rulings, and share with colleagues.

When the CJ saw that something wasn’t right, that is when he decided to move the matter to a later date.

Transcription by NBS TV