Kampala, Uganda.
The final resting place of former Supreme Court judge, Justice Stella Arach-Amoko, has become the center of a posthumous dispute within her family. Her widower, Ambassador James Idule Amoko, wishes for her to be buried in Adjumani, while three of her children insist on fulfilling their mother’s alleged wish to be laid to rest in Nebbi Town. Today, the Family Division of the High Court will decide the burial place, resolving the conflicting desires and ensuring a dignified farewell for the respected jurist.
The disagreement arose between Ambassador Idule Amoko and three of Justice Arach-Amoko’s children from a previous relationship. The children, along with two of the deceased’s siblings, filed an application urging the court to order their mother’s burial in Nebbi and terminate any plans for Adjumani. They even requested permission to exhume and relocate her remains if necessary. The Attorney General is named as a respondent in the case alongside Ambassador Amoko.
In response to the application, Family Division Judge Ketra Kitarisiibwa Katunguka directed that the matter proceed by oral testimony today. Both the Attorney General and Ambassador Amoko were absent from court, nor were they represented. The court ordered the respondents to file their responses, and the case is set for a hearing this afternoon. Justice Katunguka’s order emphasizes the importance of allowing all parties an opportunity to present their arguments and reach a resolution.
The burial arrangements for Justice Arach-Amoko had been scheduled for today in Adjumani, following parliamentary tributes on Wednesday. However, her children and two maternal relatives objected to the decision, claiming they were not consulted. Despite efforts by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among to mediate the dispute, a consensus could not be reached. Consequently, the deceased’s body was returned to a funeral home until the conflicting parties find common ground.
