The burial of deceased Supreme Court Judge Stella Arach Amoko which was slated for Friday, 23rd June has been postponed indefinitely due to a dispute among her family members as to where she should be buried.
News of the postponement was announced on Thursday by Judiciary Chief Registrar Ms. Sarah Langa Siu who described the circumstances leading up to the decision as “beyond our control.”
We understand that the decision is due to a family dispute over whether the Lady Justice should be buried in Nebbi District, her ancestral home, or Adjumani District, at the home of her alleged husband, Ambassador James Idule Amoko.
In a legal letter addressed to Judiciary Chief Registrar Sarah Langa Siu on Monday seen by The LegalReports, Justice Stella Arach-Amoko’s children through their lawyers at Gem Advocates and Legal Consultants vowed to take legal action in defense of their deceased mother’s “final” decision to be buried in Nebbi should it not be respected.
“ In the family meeting held 18 May 2023, it was unanimously agreed that the final resting place for Lady Justice Arach would be Jukia Hill Ward, Juba Village, Nebbi District in fulfillment of her life long wish known by all close family members and other persons we do not wish to disclose in this letter.”
the Children said.
“ However, to [our] dismay and utter shock, Ambassador James Idule’s relatives went to a meeting at the President’s office and communicated contrary positions regarding the final burial place for our [mother].”
They added.
Justice Stella Arach-Amoko died on 17th June 2023 at Nakasero Hospital – becoming the second Judge of the apex Court to die in less than a year after Justice Ruby Aweri Opio died of a stroke in December 2020.
Disputes over final resting places, as in the case of Justice Stella Arach Amoko are not unusual and sometimes they end up in full-blown legal cases before Court as we saw in the case of Lawyer Bob Kasango when his father’s relatives clashed with his wife. [ Read about that case here.]
Benjamin Ahikiiriza is a Legal Writer And Digital Communications & Marketing Specialist majoring in Lawyers, Law Firms And the larger Legal Sector.
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