Justice Amoko’s burial postponed as families fight over body

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The burial of the former Supreme Court judge, Justice Stella Arach-Amoko has been postponed to a further date from Friday, June 23, 2023, which had earlier been scheduled.

The Judiciary Chief Registrar Sarah Language Sui announced the development in a notice issued on Thursday morning.

“This is to inform you that due to factors beyond our control, the burial of the late lion. Lady Justice Stella Arach-Amoko, Justice of the Supreme Court, will not take place on Friday, 23rd June 2023 as had been planned. New dates will be communicated in due course,” reads the letter.

The postponement of Justice Amako’s burial follows the eruption of a dispute among family members claiming the body of the late Supreme Court Judge and indifference about the right burial place.

The children and relatives of the deceased petitioned the Judiciary claiming her royal heritage made a declaration before death wanting her final resting place to be on Jukia Hill in Nebbi Town contrary to official plans to bury her at her husband, Ambassador James Amoko’s home in Adjumani.

“This is the humble petition of the biological family of the deceased Hon. Lady Justice Stella Arach Amoko against the alleged decision to bury our deceased sister and mother in Adjumani, praying for your good office to overturn the alleged decision and to have our said mother and sister buried at her home in Nebbi where her father was buried as she wished,” reads in parts a petition to Dr Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary of the Judiciary, a copy of which this website has seen.

The feuding sides were last night locked up in a heated meeting chaired by Ms Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, where Arach-Amoko’s body remained after lying in state in the day.

When contacted for comment, Dr Pius Bigirimana in his words told this reporter, “I am not responsible for determining where the body is to be buried. I think these people have misdirected their petition. It is their family to determine where to bury.”

He added; “For us Judiciary we facilitate. For example, the husband wrote to advise Judiciary that the burial shall be in Adjumani. Who are we to change that? It can only be overturned by court order. And if the family meets again and decides otherwise, to bury in Nebbi, we shall respect their decision.”