The Uganda Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Hon. Nobert Mao has warned those who abuse the court process for personal benefits will face severe consequences.
Mao issued the warning at a fundraising to collect three billion shillings to re-construct Uganda Martyrs Catholic Parish church in Mbarara City on Sunday where he represented the Speaker of Parliament Hon. Anita Annet Among.
He said that some people have abused court processes to harass and arrest debtors especially Members of Parliament.
Mao said:
“Arresting a person for a debt should be the last resort because many people are abusing Court processes. If a debtor has put security your first remedy is to liquidate the security. If it is land you sell it.”
This follows the arrest of Hon Rukaari Mwesigwa the Mbarara City North County Member of Parliament last week at Entebbe Magistrate’s court which Mao described as a gross miscarriage of justice.
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He said the arrest of the Hon Rukaari was illegal, warning that those behind his arrest will be dealt with.
Hon Rukari was last week remanded to Luzira prison by the Commercial Division of the High Court in Kampala for defaulting on a 700 million shillings debt, following an arrest warrant that was issued by the Court’s deputy registrar in November last year.
The Mbarara City Woman Member of Parliament Ritah Atukwatse asked the Courts of law with all its systems to get back to the processes of helping people, especially women and people charged by banks in paying back loans.
She said that sometimes individuals end up being victims of unlawful arrests over debts noting that justice is sometimes ‘defiled’.