Judge ordered to cough Shs 600,000

The Inspector General of Government has ordered Justice Elizabeth Kabanda to pay Shs 630,000 that she allegedly received irregularly while presiding over High Court hearings in Mpigi and Mubende.

Two staff for the High Court judge including Matiya Akantorana(driver ) and Jimmy Eyou(bodyguard) on March 13,2017 wrote to the IGG complaining of exploitation from Kabanda when she signed for their allowances but never passed the money onto them for criminal sessions held in Mpigi and Mubende high courts.

In a report on the investigations into the matter, the IGG said her officer had found out that statements by the judge were not matching with what happened during the court sessions.

“Justice Kabanda stated that during the Mubende high court criminal session, Akantorana had complained of backache and requested to remain in the judiciary pool but our investigations established that no official communication was made to that effect to the Secretary to the Judiciary,” Mariam Wangadya, the deputy IGG said in the report dated February 23 2018.

“The judge did not make any request for and neither was she provided with another driver during the Mubende sessions.”

The report indicated that Akantorana was the only driver who drove the judge and her bodyguard to Mubende high court.

It is also indicated that upcountry travel allowance for the bodyguard and driver for the months of January to March 2017 was deposited with the judge but didn’t pay it to the beneficiaries.

“Justice Kabanda should refund shs290,000 upcountry travel allowance for her driver and bodyguard which was paid on her personal account and she did not remit it to the beneficiaries.”

The IGG also ordered the High Court judge to refund shs340,000 for the extra two nights that was irregularly paid to her while at Mubende High Court.

The judiciary was also warned against the practice of depositing funds meant for staff on the accounts of judges.

Recently, Kabanda run to the Constitutional court seeking to stop investigations against her by the IGG saying the act was humiliating and against the independence of the judiciary.

“As a result of the unlawful and unconstitutional inquiry and investigation, my security of office is threatened and my ability to execute my judicial functions freely and independently is interfered with and compromised,” Justice Kabanda said in her affidavit.