Court bailiffs blacklisted over unremitted monies

COURT|FRAUD|BAILIFFS|BLACKLISTED

KAMPALA - The Bailiffs' Licencing and Disciplinary Committee(BLDC) has blacklisted three court bailiffs after findings showed they unscrupulously took unauthorised property.

Two of the bailiffs were sanctioned over deliberate failure to remit money from proceeds of a sale. The other sold household items which are not categorised for auction and confiscation.

Court Bailiffs are certified enforcement officers who seize for sale any movable or immovable property, when implementing a court order.They also conduct evictions under court order.

BLDC is headed by the Chief Registrar Courts of Judicature. The panel also comprises Court Registrars, and the President Uganda Court Bailiffs Association.

In the BLDC decision dated August 28, 2020, Joseph Katandi, trading as Koi Auctioneers was suspended indefinitely for selling a vehicle belonging to a Centenary Bank client.  

"The bailiff illegally attached a motor vehicle UAV 420V belonging to the complainant's client Mpanga and sold it at sh6m without any legal authority from the bank as the debtor had already cleared his loan," BLDC said.

The implication is that Katandi's licence has been withdrawn.The bank has been given greenlight to commence court proceedings against Katandi.

He has been offered a lifeline, on condition that he refunds the money.

Also in a decision dated August 28, 2020, BLDC established that Peter Ayebazibwe, trading as Ayebazibwe-Hamanya Associates, falsified a court document, among others.

"The bailiff forged the signature of the complainant(Moses Kirunda) on a bill of costs and return of execution filed in court. The bailiff was found to have even disobeyed previous orders of this Committee on July 24, 2019 to refund sh2m he illegally took from Isaac Dick," BLDC stated.

Samuel Kisoko, trading as Aimba Associates, was suspended for two years. The committee resolution dated August 28, 2020, showed he confiscated items of one, Judith Nakandha that were not listed on the roll of legally attachable objects.

Items not allowable to be attached under the law include mattress, plates, jerrycans, charcoal stove among others.

The committee noted that Kisoko was an unrepentant  seven-time repeat offender, who should return the items and also be subject to a Police probe.

"The committee orders that the bailiff returns all items he illegally attached from the complainant's home immediately and returns them to her at his own expense," the committee directed.

 "Complainant is advised to file a criminal case at Police to investigate the bailiff on the loss of her academic transcripts, certificate of title, passport and other important documents of hers if she so wishes."