Oil land case flops over absent judge

May 10, 2016

On Monday, the executive director AFIEGO Dickens Kamugisha, told New Vision, they had hoped hearing would finally commence

Hearing of the case where 86 people displaced by the oil refinery, sued over inadequate compensation, has flopped due to the absence of the presiding judge.

On Monday, hearing had been scheduled to commence in court presided over by Justice Eva Luswata of the Lands division of the High Court in Kampala.

However, it flopped, as Luswata is away on official annual leave.

The deputy registrar of the court Michael Gulumali, informed the  lawyers of the aggrieved, Bemanyisa and Company Advocates, that the judge was indisposed.

Non-governmental organisation African Institute for Energy Governance(AFIEGO), are co-plaintiffs.

On Monday, the executive director AFIEGO Dickens Kamugisha, told New Vision, they had hoped hearing would finally commence.

"Our lawyer has written to the deputy registrar, asking for another date. But we were told the judge will be back at the end of next week, so she will reschedule," Kamugisha said.

Background

The case arose on March 26, 2014, when the aggrieved accused government of acquiring 29.34 square kilometers of land in Kabaale village, Hoima district, to build an oil refinery without compensating them adequately.

They claim government acted unconstitutionally, by contravening Article 26 of the Constitution which prescribes entitlements of a citizen on property.

Additionally, they claim inability to fully utilise their property since 2012 when government Resettlement Action Plan Report of 2012, pronounced that any development on the affected land after June 1 2012 would not be redeemed.

Mediation talks for an amicable settlement failed, prompting court to fix a hearing date.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});