Interdicted magistrate wants fraud probe quashed

By Andante Okanya

An interdicted Grade One magistrate wants court to quash a recommendation by the Inspectorate of Government that the Judicial Service Commission take disciplinary action on him for purported fraud.

Belmos Ogwang was interdicted by Chief Registrar Paul Gadenya on April 2 this year following another allegation of sexual harassment from a female court clerk at Kyenjojo Magistrate's Court.

On May 5, Ogwang and the IG are scheduled to appear for a hearing at the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala before Justice Yasin Nyanzi.

Ogwang filed the case last year on October 20.

Controversy arose over purported fraudulent dealings when Ogwang served as Magistrate Grade One of Pader between March 2008 and March 2010.

He purportedly used unofficial receipt books to collect bail money and public funds. The IGG report was issued on September 13, 2010.

But in his affidavit, Ogwang contends that there was a procedural defect in the way the probe into allegations against him was handled.

He asserts that he was not given an opportunity to defend himself against the numerous allegations raised, further lamenting that he was not availed a copy of the IGG report.

"People unknown to me lodged a complaint against me with the Inspectorate of Government but the copy of the complaint was never availed to me. I was only summoned as a witness and not as a person complained against," he states.

In the last court appearance on April 20, court had been scheduled to hear the case. However, only Ogwang and his lawyer Anthony Ojok Oyuko were present in court.

Oyuko told the judge that he served the Attorney General (AG) a copy of the court documents on April 1.

However, the judge advised that under the judicial review rules, it is prudent to serve the Inspector General of Government (IGG) who heads the inspectorate, and whose recommendation is under scrutiny.