Africa-Press – Uganda. The family, relatives and cultural leaders of the late former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Stella Arach Amoko have petitioned the Judiciary and the office of the president challenging government’s decision to bury the late Justice in Adjumani district saying it against the deceased’s wish and the traditions of Ker Kwaro Kaal Jonam where the deceased belonged.
In the petition to the Judiciary seen by Monitor, the family demanded that the government overturns the alleged decision to bury the deceased in Adjumani in honour of her life-time wishes to be buried in Nebbi next to his late father.
In the petition grounds, the family alleges that the Late Justice Amoko expressed her wish to her biological children and her sister in her last days while at Nakasero hospital [to be buried in Nebbi]. The family adds that the mother of the deceased is also still alive, waiting from Nebbi to receive the remains of her beloved daughter.
“The children also contend that they have never been introduced to Adjumani and they have never been shown any land or property in Adjumani that could enable them pay their respect to their mother as and when required,” the family petition to the Judiciary reads in part.
The family further revealed that Late Amoko was a granddaughter to Rwot Ragem (cultural leader) making her stand above an ordinary princess and her burial requires cultural-immense intonations that can never be done in Adjumani but in Nebbi.
Equally, the biological children and siblings of the deceased accused government of sidelining them during the meeting at the President’s office that decided on the burial site of the deceased.
In a June 19 letter to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the President, the Ker Kwaro Kaal Jonam cultural leaders noted that culturally the deceased is supposed to be buried at the Royal burial grounds at Kaal Regem in Pakwach district.
“However, she [deceased] opted to be buried next to her father in Nebbi at the family compound at Jukiya hills, a historical extension of the Kaal Ragem,” the letter reads in part.
It added: “This decision [by the late] was not in any way in disrespect to her husband ambassador Amoko, it is just the way of the Jonam, in particular Kaal Ragem. If the late Justice wanted to be buried at Adjumani, she would have made it clear.”
The leaders also noted that since the deceased did not leave any written will, her final words to her sister, children and brother about her wish to be buried in Nebbi should be observed.
According to the tentative burial programme, the body of the former Supreme Court Judge who died on June 17 will be honoured in Parliament today during a special sitting.
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