Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo warns judicial officers against 'dirty money'
Owiny-Dollo said the things judicial officers do will either give blessings to their children or bring a generational curse to them.
(L-R) Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Principal Judge designate Jane Fraces Abodo and Sheikh Muhammad Waiswa, the first deputy mufti during the judiciary prayer breakfast on Friday, September 26, 2025. (Credit: Farooq Kasule)
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo speaking during the judiciary prayer breakfast on Friday, September 26, 2025. (Credit: Farooq Kasule)
KAMPALA - Uganda's Chief Justice has warned judicial officers against accepting bribes in administration of justice, warning that “dirty money” will bring a generational curse to their families.
Alfonso Owiny-Dollo sounded the warning during the judiciary quarterly prayer breakfast session organised by the judiciary Christian fellowship at the Supreme Court conference hall on Friday, September 26, 2025.
Owiny-Dollo said the things judicial officers do will either give blessings to their children or bring a generational curse to them.
"I'm happy that we assign one morning as the judiciary to God and especially happier today because we are listening to the word of God from different lenses,” said.
The CJ gave a testimony about his father's lectures about upholding family values.
"My father was not happy when I told him that I had applied to study law because he believed that lawyers are liars, and if you were a liar, you would have problems with him. Therefore, however much money they pay you, don’t take bribes. Free money becomes dirty money, and this will bring a curse to your family.
It is more painful when, as a judicial officer, you have taken an oath to be fair and you don’t. Our duty is to do justice without fear, favour, affection or ill-will. The oath we take is not just a ritual but binding your blood,” Owiny-Dollo said.
Underscoring the importance of the judiciary's quarterly prayer breakfast session, Owiny-Dollo said it is a strong symbol of unity, urging his successor to make it a bigger and inclusive event.
Owiny-Dollo is set to retire in January next year when he celebrates his 70th birthday, the retirement age for both Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges in the country.
For inclusivity purposes, Owiny-Dollo advised the judiciary Christian fellowship to think about renaming the function as a judiciary prayer breakfast.
“Suppose the next chief justice is a muslim, what are you going to do. Think about it,” Owiny-Dollo said.
On behalf of the judiciary Christian fellowship, Wakiso Resident High Court judge, Sarah Langa Siu, revealed that the fellowship was born about four years ago.
“We started operating on a small scale. We would sit in courtrooms and pray. We, therefore, thank the chief justice for opening the door for God to be glorified in the judiciary,” Langa said.
Acting Chief Registrar, Pamela Lamunu Ocaya, underscoring the importance of the quarterly prayer breakfast, said it reminds them that the work of justice is not their own strength but instead God is working through them.
Ocaya reminded the judicial officers that justice requires unity, compassion and passion.
Bishop Joshua Lwere, the General Overseer of the National Fellowship of the Born-Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda, thanked Owiny-Dollo for giving a green light to the prayer breakfast in the judiciary, saying it is a good legacy that he is leaving behind.
“God is the supreme judge of the universe. Human judges are God’s delegates, judges and magistrates are God’s agents first, and the state becomes second and not the other way round. We must judge in the fear of God. In God’s justice, timely justice is preferred to delayed justice. As the Interreligious Council of Uganda, we extend our appreciation that you are doing this,” Lwere said.
Lwere thanked the judiciary for its efforts in eliminating corruption. Drawing an inference from the Bible, Lwere said that when a judicial officer deliberately makes a wrong decision, curses will fall on them.
Using the example of the trial of Jesus, Lwere said justice is very important to God, urging judicial officers to observe the due process of the law so that people are not condemned unlawfully, the way Jesus was condemned to death without a fair trial.
Citing Pontius Pilate's situation in the Bible, Lwere warned judicial officers against choosing political expediency to pervert justice.
“Prioritise political stability but not at the expense of justice. Both are important but must be balanced. Shortly after perverting justice, Caesar was fired,” Lwere noted.
Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa, the first deputy Mufti of Uganda, commended the Judiciary for honouring God.
“When we thank God, he gives more, but if we are ungrateful, God turns the favours into punishment. It is good to recognise God and thank him always,” Waiswa said.