Court clerk jailed over sh1m bribe

By Betty Amamukirori

A 44 year old Kira Magistrates court clerk, Rebecca Nabirye has been sent to Luzira prison for accepting sh1m bribe as an inducement to have the magistrate sign a warrant of arrest.

It is alleged that while at her office at Kira Magistrates Court, Wakiso district, Nabirye corruptly received a gratification of sh1m from Macklean Nahwera as a bribe to have the magistrate sign the warrant of arrest in execution of judgment in a case where Nahwera had sued two women.

Nahwera had filed a small claims suit against Allen Nekesa and Sarah Nadunga for failing to pay a judgment debt. However, the details of the suit were not divulged in court

The Court heard on Thursday that she also did an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of her employer, Ministry of Public Service, when she received the money to secure the magistrates signature on an arrest warrant against Nekesa and Nadunga, both judgment debtors.

Donning a red long dress and a black court, Nabirye was arraigned before court, where she denied all the two charges preferred against her. The charges include corruptly receiving a gratification and abuse of office.

After taking plea, she immediately applied for bail and presented two sureties.  Unfortunately, one of the sureties was found not substantial by the Anticorruption court grade one magistrate Agnes Alum.

This prompted the magistrate to remand her to Luzira prisons until November 6, when she is expected to present substantial sureties and reapply for bail.

Meanwhile, Diana Nantabazi, a state attorney representing the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Irene Mulyagonja Kakooza, told court that inquiries into the matter are still ongoing.