KAMPALA– High Court judge Musa Ssekaana has on Friday 14th February 2025 delivered a judgement in which he has sentenced Uganda Law Society President Isaac Ssemakadde to two years imprisonment.
“The repeated nature of the attacks by a person knowledgeable in legal matters and duly elected as president of Uganda Law Society invites this court to send a strong warning and caution against future contemnors ‘foot soldiers’ and respondents in the main cause to desist from such conduct in future. The respondent should be arrested and imprisoned for a period of two years.” Ruled justice Ssekaana
Ssemakadde’s sentence results from a case which was filed by Mugisha Hashim in court accusing, the law society President of continuous contempt of Court through use of derogatory language and remarks against Justice Musa Ssekaana and Court.
On delivering his judgement, justice Ssekaana noted that this is not a suit between the applicant and the respondent as many may think but between court and Ssemakadde.
“As such the court is not bound by the orders sought by the applicant, but this court has found the respondent acted in contempt of court. In determining the appropriate sanction, the Court should consider that the objective of the contempt of court proceedings is to protect the public interest or confidence in the due administration of justice.”
On Friday last week during the opening of New Law Year at Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala, Ssemakadde who was among the invited guests, was denied a chance to speak and at the same event, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo ordered him to apologize over his continuos attacks on Judicial officers i.e Justice Musa Ssekaana.
However, Ssemakadde felt embarrassed and didn’t take the advise of the Chief Justice in good faith. He therefore walked away from the event in protest and he was followed by a number of Advocates who had turned up for the event.
Discussion about this post