Court costs rock Masaka
Aug 14, 2008
MASAKA municipal councillors who backed the move to dismiss the finance committee chairperson, Mariam Tusiime, have been told to pay her court costs and damages.
By Dismus Buregyeya
MASAKA municipal councillors who backed the move to dismiss the finance committee chairperson, Mariam Tusiime, have been told to pay her court costs and damages.
The town clerk, Nick Begyira, said the law provides that councilors who refuse to take technical advice on legal matters are liable for the court costs and damages.
“I advised the municipal council against their decision to fire Tusiime but they could not listen. The office of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Local Government did the same but in vain. They now have to pay the court costs as stipulated by the law,†he said
Last week, the Masaka High Court, presided over by Justice Kibuuka Musoke, ruled that Tusiime should be reinstated and awarded her costs and damages.
However, the municipal council speaker, Denis Majwala, said it was the council to meet the court costs since the High Court did not specify that individual councillors were liable.
“The judgment does not state anywhere that the councillors will individually pay court costs. The judgment has generalised it as the municipal council which should pay,†he said.
Tusiime told a press conference in Masaka on Tuesday that she wanted sh80m in court costs and damages. “I need sh30m for my legal firm and sh50m as damages. My name was damaged before my family members and the electorate. It will cost me a large sum of money to recover the public trust,†she said
The decision to dismiss Tusiime was made by the municipal mayor, John Tebyasa Matovu, who was backed by some councillors.
Tebyasa accused Tusiime of incompetence, failing to recover debts and refusing to remit committee reports to the executive.
Justice Kibuuka said the council did not give Tusiime a chance to defend herself.
MASAKA municipal councillors who backed the move to dismiss the finance committee chairperson, Mariam Tusiime, have been told to pay her court costs and damages.
The town clerk, Nick Begyira, said the law provides that councilors who refuse to take technical advice on legal matters are liable for the court costs and damages.
“I advised the municipal council against their decision to fire Tusiime but they could not listen. The office of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Local Government did the same but in vain. They now have to pay the court costs as stipulated by the law,†he said
Last week, the Masaka High Court, presided over by Justice Kibuuka Musoke, ruled that Tusiime should be reinstated and awarded her costs and damages.
However, the municipal council speaker, Denis Majwala, said it was the council to meet the court costs since the High Court did not specify that individual councillors were liable.
“The judgment does not state anywhere that the councillors will individually pay court costs. The judgment has generalised it as the municipal council which should pay,†he said.
Tusiime told a press conference in Masaka on Tuesday that she wanted sh80m in court costs and damages. “I need sh30m for my legal firm and sh50m as damages. My name was damaged before my family members and the electorate. It will cost me a large sum of money to recover the public trust,†she said
The decision to dismiss Tusiime was made by the municipal mayor, John Tebyasa Matovu, who was backed by some councillors.
Tebyasa accused Tusiime of incompetence, failing to recover debts and refusing to remit committee reports to the executive.
Justice Kibuuka said the council did not give Tusiime a chance to defend herself.