Court clears widow of murder, Uganda Breweries fined Shs 1.5bn

What the report says

Courts in Uganda issued several notable rulings last week, with the headline decision coming from the Supreme Court, which overturned the murder conviction of Nakku Jackline. She had served nearly six years of an 18-year-and-nine-month sentence over the 2018 killing of her husband, Ssenyonjo Eric Kiddu, in Mukono District. According to The Observer, the justices found the circumstantial evidence too weak to sustain the conviction and ordered her release.

The same roundup also covered corruption and administrative cases in local government. Four officials from Mitooma District and Mbarara City were arraigned over allegations including abuse of office and financial mismanagement, with some remanded pending further proceedings. The article says the cases involved disputed completion certificates for a classroom block, alleged irregular payments, and a separate licensing matter at Mbarara Central Market. These proceedings come amid a wider anti-corruption push in local administration.

Another ruling involved former diplomat Michael Katungi Mpeirwe, whose legal objections were dismissed at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, leaving open the possibility of extradition to the United States. The Observer reported that U.S. authorities seek him on drug-trafficking and firearms-related charges, as well as an allegation of support for a designated cartel. The court said his claimed diplomatic immunity did not apply in the circumstances described.

In a commercial dispute, the Court of Appeal ordered Uganda Breweries Limited to pay Seroy Airport Hotel Limited Shs 1.594 billion after finding the brewer unlawfully terminated a distribution contract. The judgment upheld earlier findings that the hotel had suffered losses after investing in assets and operations tied to the agreement.