Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has described the late Supreme Court judge, Stella Arach-Amoko, as a person who served the country with dedication, humility and integrity.

In her eulogy, Nabbanja said Arach started her career as a state attorney in the justice ministry in 1979 and rose through the ranks to become a justice of the Supreme Court and the East African Court of Justice because of her dedication to the legal profession and her desire to dispense justice to the people.

“During her 44-year distinguished legal career, Arach delivered judgments that not only resolve conflicts, but also promoted fairness and brought justice to many Ugandans."

The Prime Minister’s message was contained in a speech read on her behalf to mourners by the Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama, during the burial ceremony of the late judge at her country home in Juba Village, Jukia Hill Ward, Nebbi district on Saturday.

Arach, who joined the Judiciary in 1997 as a High Court judge, breathed her last aged 69 on June 17 at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.

She died one year shy of clocking the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices.

Preliminary reports indicate that she succumbed to cancer, which she has been battling for long.

In an effort to reduce the case backlog and prevent the court system from getting further overwhelmed by cases, Nabbanja said Arach introduced Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms at the Commercial Court, which she then headed.

Alternative Dispute Resolution refers to the different ways people can resolve disputes without a trial.

Nabbanja said Arach was a mentor to many of her colleagues in the legal profession and greatly contributed to strengthening constitutionalism and judicial independence.

“She also significantly contributed to the building of a judicial system that is responsive to the norms, values, and aspirations of Ugandans. In addition, Arach immensely contributed to the improvement of legal training in our country,” said the PM.

After reading Nabbanja’s speech, Nakadama told the mourners that President Yoweri Museveni contributed sh300m towards Arach’s burial. She also disclosed that the Judiciary contributed sh110m.