Government loses Shs70b Uganda House case

Kampala. The Court of Appeal yesterday struck out an appeal in which government was challenging the orders of a New York court that ordered for the compensation of an American worker who fell off the Uganda House scaffolding, leaving him seriously injured as he conducted routine maintenance.
Mr Christopher Sales fell off the Uganda House located in the heart of Manhattan in New York City, America.
The striking out of the appeal by justices Kenneth Kakuru, Stephen Musota and Christopher Madrama means that government has to pay Shs70b in damages to the injured American worker.
While throwing out the government’s appeal, the justices held that it was a straightforward case and the same lacked merit on account that it was filed out of time.
In 2013, then High Court Judge Eldad Mwangusya declared foreign judgments enforceable in Uganda. Justice Mwangusya further ruled that the same orders were enforceable even in instances where Uganda did not have reciprocal arrangements with the country where the judgment originated from.
The decision paved way for foreigners “stranded” with judgments from foreign courts to bring action in local courts for enforcement, a situation which affects both government and private parties.
Kampala lawyer Karoli Ssemwogerere represented Mr Christopher while Mr Nicholas Mukama, a state attorney from the Attorney General’s chambers, represented the government.