Judiciary driver who complained about low pay remanded to prison
Eyewitness
The Judiciary driver who complained about his low salary has been remanded to prison on allegations of promoting hate speech.
Stanley Kisambira Male, a resident of Sazzagulu zone in Mukono District was on Monday arraigned before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's court in Kampala on charges of spreading hate speech contrary to section 26A(1)(C) of the computer misuse (Amended) Act, 2022.
Prosecution states that Kisambira, 46, on May 12, 2023, within Uganda, through a computer, shared on Judiciary Transport WhatsApp group information to wit recorded audio which was likely to promote hostility against judges in the Judiciary, in that judges' salaries are unfairly over and above those of their drivers and that a driver can decide to cause road accidents by ramming into a moving truck thereby, killing the judges and their bodyguards.
Kasambira was on Monday produced in court only to be told he would spend more than 10 days in prison because the magistrate who was supposed to hear his case was not around.
Kisambira who was not allowed to take a plea was remanded until June 2, 2023, when he’s expected to be returned to court.
Kisambira who was first detained last week before he was, days later, released on police bond was rearrested Monday morning when he went to report himself at Kampala Central Police Station.
In the audio recording, Kisambira, who has been driving Justice Godfrey Namundi, a judge in Mbale District, said the Shs235,000 monthly salary was insufficient to cater to his family's needs.
In the same audio clip, he claimed that the low pay could prompt him or any other driver in his position to cause an accident, killing all the car occupants, including his principal.
After the audio recording went viral, Judiciary PS, Pius Bigirimana, said he would not risk the lives of the judicial officers in the hands of what he described as liars like Kisambira.
He noted that Kisambira receives approximately Shs1.3 million per month in addition to the known Shs235, 000 salaries.
“This driver lied. He receives Shs200, 000 as operation funds, gets a salary of Shs237,000, and also receives a consolidated allowance of Shs720,000 every three months. Shs1.125m is given to him every quarter as consolidated welfare money. This means that in total, Kisambira gets around Shs1.35 million but then goes around telling lies. I have written to him to show causes to why disciplinary action must not be taken against him,” Mr. Bigirimana said on May 19.
