Loss of files irks judge

Jul 22, 2009

The issue of missing, lost and misplaced court files and documents is a matter of great concern in Gulu and if not stopped, it may lead to the dismissal of some judicial officers, Gulu Chief Magistrate Joseph Omodo Nyanga has said.

By Justin Moro

The issue of missing, lost and misplaced court files and documents is a matter of great concern in Gulu and if not stopped, it may lead to the dismissal of some judicial officers, Gulu Chief Magistrate Joseph Omodo Nyanga has said.

Nyanga said he had written to his superiors about the issue and requested them to transfer over three quarters of the staff of Gulu Magistrates’ Court so as to stop the mess.

He made the remarks while presiding over some cases in his chambers recently. “The issue is a chronic disease and a big challenge to us. It may lead to some magistrates losing jobs. When a court file goes missing, it bogs down our work because there will be need for fresh trials. I worked in Nebbi and Arua courts for over three years and I did not have this problem,” Nyanga said.

“Recently, a file which I had just handled got lost from my desk. I later learnt that it was picked by a clerk. Some of these court staff are compromised or bribed with about sh50,000 to hide files,” he added.

“I cannot tolerate the issue any longer. The only remedy now is to get most of our court clerks transferred.”

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