Chief Magistrate Mafabi interdicted
Sep 08, 2005
<br>THE Judiciary has interdicted Mbarara Chief magistrate Richard Mafabi after the Inspectorate of government implicated him in a shady Kiwi shoe Polish deal estimated at sh300m.
By Anne Mugisa
THE Judiciary has interdicted Mbarara Chief magistrate Richard Mafabi after the Inspectorate of government implicated him in a shady Kiwi shoe Polish deal estimated at sh300m.
The Judicial Service commission (JSC) investigated Mafabi after the IGG accused him of participating in the shady destruction of counterfeit shoe polish.
Following the JSC findings, the Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki and the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, instructed the Chief Registrar, Lawrence Gidudu, to interdict Mafabi.
Yesterday, Gidudu confirmed that he had written to Mafabi, who is to vacate office pending trial by the Judicial Service disciplinary committee.
Mafabi has been ordered to hand over office today to the Mukono Chief Magistrate, Isaac Muwata, who is to move to Mbarara. The Judiciary also moved other magistrates to close the gap created by Mafabi’s removal.
Luweero Chief magistrate Elizabeth Kabanda is to replace Muwata in Mukono, while Silver Okullu of Mpigi takes over Luweero and Mpigi.
The IGG report released on August 1, also implicated Police court orderlies and prosecutors. The investigation followed a complaint from the Kiwi manufacturers about the conduct of some officers of the CID Police and the judiciary in the destruction of the polish. The case had been handled at Buganda Road Court.
The consignment of the fake shoe polish was impounded by the Police and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) at the Mutukula border in April 2003. The consignment consisted of 423 cartons of Kiwi.
A suspect, Hadija Kawesa, was later arrested and charged with selling goods marked with a counterfeit trademark.
She pleaded guilty before Mafabi, then grade I magistrate at Buganda Road Court, who issued a destruction order.
The IGG, Faith Mwondha, said the fake polish was not destroyed as per court order, but the officers of the judiciary and Police burnt charcoal instead.
The IGG advised the JSC to institute disciplinary proceedings against Mafabi, for lack of integrity and abuse of office.
THE Judiciary has interdicted Mbarara Chief magistrate Richard Mafabi after the Inspectorate of government implicated him in a shady Kiwi shoe Polish deal estimated at sh300m.
The Judicial Service commission (JSC) investigated Mafabi after the IGG accused him of participating in the shady destruction of counterfeit shoe polish.
Following the JSC findings, the Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki and the Principal Judge, James Ogoola, instructed the Chief Registrar, Lawrence Gidudu, to interdict Mafabi.
Yesterday, Gidudu confirmed that he had written to Mafabi, who is to vacate office pending trial by the Judicial Service disciplinary committee.
Mafabi has been ordered to hand over office today to the Mukono Chief Magistrate, Isaac Muwata, who is to move to Mbarara. The Judiciary also moved other magistrates to close the gap created by Mafabi’s removal.
Luweero Chief magistrate Elizabeth Kabanda is to replace Muwata in Mukono, while Silver Okullu of Mpigi takes over Luweero and Mpigi.
The IGG report released on August 1, also implicated Police court orderlies and prosecutors. The investigation followed a complaint from the Kiwi manufacturers about the conduct of some officers of the CID Police and the judiciary in the destruction of the polish. The case had been handled at Buganda Road Court.
The consignment of the fake shoe polish was impounded by the Police and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) at the Mutukula border in April 2003. The consignment consisted of 423 cartons of Kiwi.
A suspect, Hadija Kawesa, was later arrested and charged with selling goods marked with a counterfeit trademark.
She pleaded guilty before Mafabi, then grade I magistrate at Buganda Road Court, who issued a destruction order.
The IGG, Faith Mwondha, said the fake polish was not destroyed as per court order, but the officers of the judiciary and Police burnt charcoal instead.
The IGG advised the JSC to institute disciplinary proceedings against Mafabi, for lack of integrity and abuse of office.