Warder gets death, magistrate wins Shs 20m as Watoto beats heritage listing

What the report says

Uganda’s courts issued several notable rulings last week, according to The Observer, spanning criminal sentencing, defamation, property rights and bail. The decisions were delivered in different courts and locations, including Kiboga, Jinja and Kampala, and they involved a prison officer, a magistrate, church property owners and an accused known as Bryan White.

In Kiboga, High Court judge Jane Okuo Kajuga sentenced prison warder Moses Anguyo to death after he admitted killing four people, including two prison officers and the wife and young son of a prison officer in charge. The court also imposed additional prison terms for aggravated robbery and threatening violence, while noting factors such as the deliberate nature of the killings and the duty status of some victims. The case is significant because it reflects one of the most severe punishments available under Ugandan law.

In Jinja, Magistrate Steven Johnson Waidhuuba was awarded Shs 20 million in damages after suing his mother and brother over accusations tied to a family inheritance dispute. Justice Joanita Bushara found the allegations had damaged his reputation, especially after they spread through official complaints and online platforms. In a separate ruling, the High Court overturned the government’s designation of Watoto Church-related property in Kampala as a protected historical and cultural site, saying the process was unlawful. The court also granted mandatory bail to Bryan White after 293 days on remand, citing the constitutional time limit for holding an accused person before committal to trial.