High Court in Kampala has awarded a total of Shs 50 million to Nakasero Mosque over an unlawful raid conducted on the place of worship by security operatives in December 2016.
In the raid which was carried out on the morning of December 27th 2016, security operatives raided the mosque without a search warrant, conducted a search and confiscated some equipment which belonged to the mosque.
Through their lawyers of Centre for Legal Aid led by Isaac Ssemakadde, the Jamiyyat Daawa Assalafiyyah Muslim Community went to court seeking redress for the damages caused by the unlawful raid on the mosque. They further asked that the officers be reprimanded for the high handedness used during the raid.
The muslim community demanded for a compensation of Shs 50 billion.
In his ruling, Hon. Justice Musa Ssekaana said that; “the action of the respondent’s agents (security operatives/police) of raiding, breaking into and ransacking Nakasero Mosque at dawn of 27th December 2016 without a search warrant or warrant card was unlawful and illegal.”
He said the actions of the security agents during the raid violated articles 29 and 37 of the Constitution which protect the dignity of religion.
“Places of worship should be searched in a manner that preserves the dignity and sanctity of the place and above all in an orderly and organised manner.”
“The violation at the places of worship affects the entire community and persons who profess and practice that religion. This could have far reaching effects on the entire country due to recklessness of persons who are carrying out the search.”
“This court orders that the respondent’s agents (Uganda Police) must return all items that were taken from Nakasero Mosque during the illegal and unlawful search to the mosque administration.”
On the cash compensation demanded by the muslim community, Justice Ssekaana ordered the respondent to compensate the muslim community with general, special, aggravated and punitive damages in the sum of Shs 50 million instead of the Shs 50 billion that had been earlier sought.
