Description
From Skins to Robes and Wigs by Justice John Bosco Katutsi is a collection of several jurisprudence cases, in Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, life breakthroughs, breakdowns and ups, threats and challenges of a 38-year judicial service. It is also, an 81-year-life autobiography and a thrilling experience for a reader.
The book sheds some light on his trial of the First Lady Mama Mariamu Amin as one of his first cases as a young magistrate in Mbale to heading a tribunal in Masaka District to handle economic crimes under President Idi Amin to a life in private law practice after Katutsi’s resignation from court following Obote’s return to power. And, finally getting back to making landmark judgments in some of the most publicised and anticipated cases in the Museveni regime. The book also contains judgments such as those in the trial of John Sanyu Katuramu for murder of Prince Charles Happy Kijanangoma; the bail application for Dr Kizza Besigye; and the 21 People’s Redemption Army suspects that led to the Black Mamba invasion of the High Court and later the strike of the judiciary; the trial of Dr Besigye for rape in 2006 and the Teddy Seezi Cheeye conviction.
On retirement, Justice John Bosco Katutsi presided over courts in Sierra Leone and Liberia also making landmark anti-corruption judgments. The book is a jurisprudence read for criminal justice that any criminal, law student, judicial officer or law abiding citizen ought to have on their shelf.
Edited by veteran journalist Daniel Kalinaki with a foreword from Justice Patrick Tabaro, many would-be or aspiring criminal justice lawyers and judges will find it an interesting read.