JUSTICE J.B. Katutsi of the High Court has rejected his appointment as the deputy of the civil division, calling the appointment a humiliating insult.
Maurice Okore reports that in a January 24, 2005 letter addressed to the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, Katutsi said he was not ready to be Justice Arach Amoko's deputy. Arach was made the head of the civil division by Ogoola in December last year.
“I refer to the Administrative Circular No. 2 of 2004. In that circular, it is indicated that I am to deputise her Lordship M.S. Arach Amoko in the Civil Division. For reasons, which must be obvious to you, I regard this as a humiliating insult and have not the slightest intention of obliging,” Katutsi said.
Arach was deputising Ogoola, who was heading the commercial division.
High Court sources yesterday said Katutsi rejected the appointment on grounds that Arach was junior to him.
Sources also said Katutsi had vowed not to accept the appointment.
Katutsi’s letter rejecting the appointment was copied to Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki, Deputy Chief Justice Laetitia Kikonyongo, the chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, all judges, registrars and magistrates.
Late last year, Katutsi nullified Lady Justice Julia Ssebutinde’s report on corruption in the Uganda Revenue Authority, saying it was not a majority report.
Katutsi joined the Judiciary in 1973 and served as a Grade One magistrate until 1976. He served as Chief Magistrate from 1977 to 1980 before going into private practice in 1981 to 1987. He returned to the Judiciary as Chief Magistrate in 1988 to 1993 and was appointed a judge in 1993.
The Principle Judge, who deployed Katutsi, Justice Ogoola, said he did not know if Katutsi had rejected the appoitment which takes effect on March 1.
