Susan Okalany

Susan Okalany is a Ugandan lawyer and judge who sits on the High Court of Uganda. Before she was appointed to the bench, she was a principal state attorney in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.[1][2]

Susan Okalany
Born
Uganda
NationalityUgandan
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Laws)
Law Development Centre
(Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice)
Occupation(s)Lawyer, judge
Known forLaw
TitleJustice of the High Court of Uganda

Background and education

Se was born in the Eastern Region of Uganda. She attended local primary and secondary schools. She graduated from the Faculty of Law at Makerere University, Uganda's largest and oldest public university, with a Bachelor of Laws degree, in 1992. The following year, she was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice by the Law Development Centre in Kampala, Uganda's capital city.[3]

Career

In 1994, after graduation from the Law Development Centre, Okalany was employed by the American Embassy in Kampala, as a Consular Assistant. From there, she became a researcher at Forum for Women in Democracy. She then was employed by Ochieng Wellborn and Company Advocates, as a legal assistant.[1] When she left there, she joined the State Attorney's office. She served as the resident state attorney in the districts of Tororo, Iganga, Mbarara and Masaka.[1]

She was then transferred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. While there, she rose through the ranks to become the head of the gender and sexual offences division and also the electoral offences investigations and prosecutions task force. At the time she was appointed to the high court, she was a principal state attorney.[1]

As a prosecutor

Susan Okalany was the lead prosecutor in the Kampala bombings trial. The trial started in September 2011. Two self-confessed conspirators, Mahmoud Mugisha and Edris Nsubuga, pleaded guilty and were convicted.[1][2]

Another prominent case that she prosecuted was the conviction of Jacqueline Uwera Nsenga for the murder of her husband, Juvenal Kananura Nsenga, whom she ran over with a car, when he opened the gate to their home.[4]

As a judge

In 2016 Okalany was appointed a High Court judge and was assigned to the court's Family Division. She was posted to the Mbale circuit of the court's division.[5] While there, she received death threats in a case related to Bukedea District Cattle Market, leading her to request security assistance from the president of Uganda.[6]

Other considerations

In September 2017, Justice Susan Okalany was bestowed with the Award of Prosecutor of the Year, by the International Association of Prosecutors. The award was in recognition of her role as lead prosecutor of the 11 July 2010 Kampala bombing terrorists.[1][7]

In June 2020, Susan Okalany was among the four top contenders for the ICC prosecutor job. If elected, she would replace Fatou Bom Bensouda, who as occupied the position since 2012.[8]

See also

References
  1. Andante Okanya (14 September 2017). "Okalany Wins Global Prosecutor Award". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. Anthony Wesaka and Yasiin Mugerwa (2 March 2016). "Museveni Appoints 7 Judges". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  3. Derrick Kiyonga (5 July 2020). "ICC prosecutor nominee Okalany's journey to the international scene". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  4. Michael Odeng and Edward Anyoli (23 September 2014). "Nsenga's Widow Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  5. Judiciary of Uganda (20 January 2020). "The Honorable Judges Of The Uganda High Court". Kampala: Judiciary of Uganda. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  6. Anthony Wesaka (6 November 2019). "Mbale judge petitions DPP over death threats". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. Ivan Okuda (13 September 2017). "Justice Okalany wins World Prosecutor of the Year award". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. Kenneth Kazibwe (3 July 2020). "Ugandan Judge Susan Okalany among four candidates shortlisted for ICC prosecutor job". Kampala: Nile Post Uganda. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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