By Sadique Bamwita
Entebbe
The Magistrates attached to Entebbe Chief Magistrate court have tasked members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to provide legal representation for Juvenile offenders currently languishing in remand homes.
Led by Grade one Magistrate Joanita Muwanika, the members told JSC on Thursday that when juvenile offenders are granted bond, they are never represented when they return to court hence hindering court in administration of Juvenile justice.
Ruth Sebatindira, a JSC official revealed that she will soon set up a child desk at Entebbe court to handle juvenile justice and that as Judiciary they are working hard to rehabilitate children rather than sentencing them.
She expressed dismay on the rate of absenteeism among Magistrates at Entebbe court in addition to late coming saying JSC won’t tolerate this anymore and that the culprits will face the disciplinary committee.
Norah Matovu Winyi, also a member of the commission expressed concern on the increasing number of court brokers who solicit money from innocent people claiming to bribe magistrates to offer justice in their favor and urged the magistrates to maintain a high level of transparency so as to protect their image and integrity of the Justice system.
Hon. Rosemary Nyakikongoro, also a member of the commission representing the parliament of Uganda, said that through interactions with stakeholders, they have observed that corruption at Entebbe court is at the highest and that the court clerks have become a stumbling block in the administration of Justice.
“Can you image they charge clients Shs 5m for a production warrant. The magistrates tend to offer cash bail when it’s late and consequently no payments can be made in the Banks which are few meters away from the court. And the only option available is to seek a production warrant which is charged expensively,” Hon. Nyakikongoro stated.
She added, “We have now drafted an amendment to ensure that the court clerks are answerable to the judicial service commission not to the public service commission. We have realized there is no discipline inculcated in them.”
