Who are Katutsi, Akiiki-Kiiza?
May 25, 2008
JUSTICES John Baptist Katutsi and Dan Akiiki-Kiiza have been named to head the Anti-Corruption and the War Crimes Divisions of the High Court respectively.
JUSTICES John Baptist Katutsi and Dan Akiiki-Kiiza have been named to head the Anti-Corruption and the War Crimes Divisions of the High Court respectively. Hillary Nsambu profiles the two judges.
JUSTICE KATUTSI One of the sensitive cases Katutsi handled was the trial of former Omuhiikirwa (premier) of
Tooro Kingdom, John Katuramu. He sentenced Katuramu to death for murdering Prince Charles Kijanangoma.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and the Supreme Court confirmed it. Katutsi also acquitted the Forum for Democratic Change president, Dr Kizza Besigye, of rape. Katutsi, however, opted out of Besigye’s treason trial, citing health reasons.
A man of few words, Katutsi is known to be humble, soft-spoken and principled.
In an interview with The New Vision in 2006, Katutsi asserted that he was a man of his word, saying his role model was St. Thomas More, a prominent lawyer in medieval Britain, who was executed for standing by his word. “I admire More because he kept his oath,†Katutsi, a Catholic, said. “I am a man of humble beginnings, but religion has shaped me.â€
His loyalty to the judicial oath was put to test in 1975 when he remanded Sara Amin, the wife to then president Idi Amin. She had been caught smuggling goods. “I remanded her but I didn’t try the case. It was given to another magistrate.â€
In 1980, Katutsi resigned as the Kabale chief magistrate, saying he did not want to serve the Milton Obote government. Katutsi has nine children, two of them lawyers in private practice in Kampala. His plays golf. Katutsi was born in Kabale in 1945. He graduated from Makerere University in 1972.
He obtained a diploma in legal practice in 1973, after which he was appointed
grade one magistrate until 1977 when he was named chief magistrate, a post he
held until 1980. He went into private practice in 1981 until 1987. He was re-appointed chief magistrate in 1988 and became a judge in 1993.
JUSTICE AKIIKI-KIIZA
Justice Akiiki-Kiiza has handled a number of controversial cases. The most
recent was the quest by the pastoralists (Balaalo) in Bulisa district to have their eviction blocked. He dismissed the case, saying it was filed out of time and lacked adequate evidence.
He also handled former health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi’s plea to block the Government from implementing the Global Fund report, which implicated him in financial irregularities.
In 2006, Akiiki-Kiiza declined to hear an application by Justice Okumu Wengi, who was challenging the Government for interdicting him. Kiiza stepped down on grounds that he and Wengi were contemporaries at the university.
Kiiza, who is married with seven children, holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University and a diploma in legal practice obtained in 1977. He was appointed grade one magistrate and posted to Kabale in 1977, before pioneering the magisterial area of Rukungiri district until 1987. He was a senior magistrate in Luweero from 1990 to 1991.
From 1992 to 1993, he was chief magistrate of Fort Portal and a year later was appointed inspector of the Courts of Judicature. He was appointed judge of the High Court in 1998.
JUSTICE KATUTSI One of the sensitive cases Katutsi handled was the trial of former Omuhiikirwa (premier) of
Tooro Kingdom, John Katuramu. He sentenced Katuramu to death for murdering Prince Charles Kijanangoma.
The Court of Appeal upheld the judgment and the Supreme Court confirmed it. Katutsi also acquitted the Forum for Democratic Change president, Dr Kizza Besigye, of rape. Katutsi, however, opted out of Besigye’s treason trial, citing health reasons.
A man of few words, Katutsi is known to be humble, soft-spoken and principled.
In an interview with The New Vision in 2006, Katutsi asserted that he was a man of his word, saying his role model was St. Thomas More, a prominent lawyer in medieval Britain, who was executed for standing by his word. “I admire More because he kept his oath,†Katutsi, a Catholic, said. “I am a man of humble beginnings, but religion has shaped me.â€
His loyalty to the judicial oath was put to test in 1975 when he remanded Sara Amin, the wife to then president Idi Amin. She had been caught smuggling goods. “I remanded her but I didn’t try the case. It was given to another magistrate.â€
In 1980, Katutsi resigned as the Kabale chief magistrate, saying he did not want to serve the Milton Obote government. Katutsi has nine children, two of them lawyers in private practice in Kampala. His plays golf. Katutsi was born in Kabale in 1945. He graduated from Makerere University in 1972.
He obtained a diploma in legal practice in 1973, after which he was appointed
grade one magistrate until 1977 when he was named chief magistrate, a post he
held until 1980. He went into private practice in 1981 until 1987. He was re-appointed chief magistrate in 1988 and became a judge in 1993.
JUSTICE AKIIKI-KIIZA
Justice Akiiki-Kiiza has handled a number of controversial cases. The most
recent was the quest by the pastoralists (Balaalo) in Bulisa district to have their eviction blocked. He dismissed the case, saying it was filed out of time and lacked adequate evidence.
He also handled former health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi’s plea to block the Government from implementing the Global Fund report, which implicated him in financial irregularities.
In 2006, Akiiki-Kiiza declined to hear an application by Justice Okumu Wengi, who was challenging the Government for interdicting him. Kiiza stepped down on grounds that he and Wengi were contemporaries at the university.
Kiiza, who is married with seven children, holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University and a diploma in legal practice obtained in 1977. He was appointed grade one magistrate and posted to Kabale in 1977, before pioneering the magisterial area of Rukungiri district until 1987. He was a senior magistrate in Luweero from 1990 to 1991.
From 1992 to 1993, he was chief magistrate of Fort Portal and a year later was appointed inspector of the Courts of Judicature. He was appointed judge of the High Court in 1998.