Kanyeihamba admits writing letter over new deputy CJ

SUPREME Court judge George W. Kanyeihamba yesterday resigned as chairman of the Judicial Committee on strengthening integrity and justice following a heated meeting of judges, writes Richard Mutumba. He also refused to apologise over a document he admitted authoring, in which he accused the newly-appointed Deputy Chief Justice, Laetitia Kikonyogo, of incompetence and wrongdoing. Kanyeihamba said he stood by his words that the deputy chief justice was not fit for the post. The meeting, held at the High Court library in Kampala, was presided over by Chief Justice Samuel Wako Wambuzi. It was attended by Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Constitutional Court and High Court judges. The meeting, which started at 2.00pm, continued into the night with tight security around the High Court building. Kanyeihamba did not, however, resign from the terms and conditions of service committee to which he is a member. 'Following a meeting of the judges and the discussion that ensued, I decided to tender in my resignation as chairman of the integrity and justice committee to the Lord Chief Justice of Uganda, Samuel Wako Wambuzi,' Kanyeihamba told The New Vision. He resigned after addressing the meeting, during which he admitted authoring the controversial document in which he contested the nomination of Deputy Chief Justice Kikonyogo. The judges resolved that the method used by Kanyeihamba to cause judges to sign the document were incorrect. Sources said yesterday that Kanyeihamba had gone to judges, asking them to sign the document before he could forward it to the President. Sources close to the bench said some of the judges refused to sign the document and asked Kanyeihamba to delete their names from the document. Ends.