All must applaud arrest of magistrate for corruption

Every law-abiding soul must feel uplifted by the charging of Sembabule chief magistrate, Ms Sylvia Nvanungi and Ms Jackline Bako, the resident state attorney, for soliciting a bribe. Their arraignment brings hope, however slim, that something is being done about the cesspool of corruption which our court system has become.

Our approval rests in the knowledge of the appalling depths to which Uganda’s Justice, Law and Order sector has plunged. Sadly, though, few will have been surprised by the alleged crime. It is common knowledge that the police and Judiciary lead the way in order of notoriety for corruption.

It is also a well-known public secret that decisions, especially in the lower courts, are open to manipulation with dirty money being the incentive. Judiciary mandarins may disagree all they want with this public impression, but many Ugandans are aware of this deplorable state of affairs. The suspected shameful actions of the accused officers only confirms the mischief rife in the courts.

The other depressing thing about this case is that the suspects were reportedly willing to help a murder suspect escape the law. To them the loss of human life was a minor distraction. A clear example must now be made of this matter to serve as a serious deterrent for intending miscreants. Law abiding Ugandans will hope that the full force of the law will be brought to bear, with stiff penalties being handed down.

Whereas we recognise that there may be a handful of upright women and men trying to uphold the law, the unflattering record shows that Uganda’s court system as a function of justice leaves a lot to be desired. There are very many disgraceful stories about magistrates, state prosecutors, judges and so forth who have abandoned their judicial oaths and the letter of the law at the altar of lucre.

With Uganda’s court system so compromised, what has been lacking in the struggle to redeem it is the courage of the collective public conscience. Few, if any, litigants have been courageous enough to expose the crooks hiding behind those black robes and horse hair wigs.

The dramatic events at the Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday as the magistrate and prosecutor were being charged should now trigger more arrests of officers who are believed to have turned their privileged position on the bench into a criminal conduit for ill-gotten wealth.

If found guilty, one hopes that Ms Nvanungi and Ms Bako will use their time in prison to reflect on the grave implications of this disreputable conduct for our justice system. For far too long lip service has been paid to graft in the courts despite the Judiciary’s so-called zero tolerance for corruption. The Wednesday arraignment should signal a change in fortunes for the outlaws.