By Anne Mugisa

Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki has appointed the Anti-Corruption Court head, Justice Paul Mugamba, to conduct the inquest into the death of Butaleja MP Cerinah Nebanda.

The appointment followed a request by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Chief Justice to name a judge to conduct the inquest after Parliament asked for it and the President okayed it.

An inquest is a judicial inquiry to determine the cause of death of a person who dies under unclear circumstances. The inquest is conducted by a judge, a government official or a jury in countries that have the jury system.

Inquests use eyewitnesses, but suspects are not permitted to defend themselves unlike in the courts of law.

At the end of the inquiry, the inquest would determine whether the death was due to natural causes, accidental, misadventure, suicide or murder.

If the verdict is murder or culpable accident, criminal prosecution in the courts of law may follow where suspects would be allowed to defend themselves.

According to the Principal Judge, Justice Yorokamu Bamwine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will determine when the inquest will commence its work.

The names of the other members are yet to be established.