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Odoki Condemns Military Presence At Court

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
November 18, 2005
Posted to the web November 18, 2005

By Herbert Ssempogo
Kampala
CHIEF Justice Benjamin Odoki has condemned the deployment of military personnel
at the High Court in Kampala on Wednesday.
About 30 men wielding rifles stormed the High Court quadrangle at about 2:45pm
soon after Justice Edmund Lugayizi had declared that Dr. Kizza Besigye's 14 co-
accused persons on treason charges had a constitutional right to be released on
bail.
The armed men, who were wearing black t-shirts, took strategic positions at the
court premises. They later tried to force their way into the court's holding
cell, where the suspects were being held.
"The judiciary is concerned about what happened at the High Court. We will take
immediate action to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future. We will
investigate this incident. We do not know why they were there or where they
came from," Odoki said yesterday.
He was speaking at the Always Be Tolerant (ABETO) fourth diplomatic peace award
ceremony at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
Netherlands ambassador Yoka Brandt received the award. Odoki said courts should
be allowed to "build peace through peaceful resolution of disputes."
"If any person, individual or sectarian interest come in the way of this
process, history will never forgive us. The whole world is looking at us and we
have to show maximum political maturity so that we are able to say with
confidence and pride that we are a modern, democratic nation cherishing the
values of human rights and accommodating all shades of opinion as well as
aspirations of the people," Odoki said.
The Inspector General of Government, Faith Mwondha, said violence and
corruption would weaken the judiciary.
Brandt said peace and tolerance was vital for the transition period and urged
women to help bring peace to society. ABETO boss Moses Musana condemned acts of
terrorism in various parts of the world.

   

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