Prime
Some lawyers pretend to be ignorant of the basic law and its rules – Part I
What you need to know:
Impunity. It is very sad that because of financial enrichment, foreigners who are very rich and able to buy lawyers to lie
and cheat for them can easily deprive innocent and law abiding Ugandans with impunity.
Many Ugandans know that I am among those who studied, taught, practised, adjudicated and continue updating my knowledge about law. But some practising Ugandan lawyers and judges who interact with me seem to think that I am totally ignorant of Ugandan law, its rules, procedures and how they operate.
To add insult to injury, as a jurist and former judge, I am well known and appreciated worldwide. Since the 1960s, I have been consulted, given advice and been appreciated by leaders and organisations. Up to now, my opinions and advice continue to be sought and appreciated. I have written, published law books and given judgments which today are sources and authorities of law, especially in the Commonwealth.
Following an accident and hospitalisation, there seems to be an impression believed by some people that I am mentally incapacitated and my previous opinions count for nothing. I was recently forced to seek the opinion of medical experts who gave me not only a clean bill of health, but were struck by the vigour and clarity of my memory and what I do.
The incapacity to walk can never be evidence of pediment of the mind. This is very disappointing to me personally, family and friends. It is here that the story begins.
A friend who heard that I was no longer practising law and going to court was told about my problems with several lawyers.
When it came to protecting my property interest or defend me against incredible allegations, he then introduced me to a lawyer, apparently practising on Sir Apolo Kaggwa Road, Kampala.
We discussed my need for a reliable and competent lawyer. I instructed his firm to complete a number of part-heard court cases, which my other lawyers had handled and miserably failed to complete or after compromises with my opponents.
The lawyer eagerly accepted the assignment. One of the pressing cases was where a non-citizen tenant in part of my mailo land in Ddewe, Busiro, had fraudulently in connivance with lawyers and judicial officers, seized and fenced off part of my other land I had not leased to him, taking full advantage of my incapacity to defend myself and my property.
After discussion, the lawyer asked the fees in advance to place a caveat on that land while he proceeded to have the culprit evicted and condemned in compensation. Thereafter, I did not hear anything from him and he would not answer my telephone calls either. I then decided to use a visitor’s telephone whose number he did not know.
He responded within seconds and I said, “This is Kanyeihamba here, what happened? The local, civil pleaders have informed me that the criminal trace passer has now hired private security guards and employed them at my land he has illegally taken.”
His answer was, “I am sorry Professor, I discovered that the land you wanted us to recover had its title stolen from the Uganda Land Commission Registry. That is why I am unable to do anything.”
He was actually not telling the truth because the stolen land is not where the lawyer claims he had searched the registry, but in Ddewe Village, Busiro.
Since my disposition, many people, especially non-Ugandans, have successfully or unsuccessfully lied and cheated me of my property, especially land. Their betrayal and what I call misconduct will be subject of Part II of this article.
It is very sad that because of financial enrichment, foreigners who are very rich and able to buy lawyers to lie and cheat for them can easily deprive innocent and law abiding Ugandans with impunity.
I have, therefore, been forced to send all my files and names of the lawyers and firms that handled them and asked for protection and recovery of what I have unlawfully lost or failed to protect to President’s Office.
