The Gender, Labour, and Social Development Minister Betty Amongi has been dragged to court nearly three months after High Court Holden in Lira issued a decision in a case involving Lango Cultural Foundation and Lango Cultural Institution members.
In a landmark decision issued by Justice Philip Odoki, among other things, the learned Judge ordered Minister Betty Amongi to regazzette Yosam Odur Ebii as the paramount chief (Won Nyaci) of Lango.
The same judge ordered Minister Amongi to de-gazette Eng. Moses Michael Odongo Okune as Lango’s paramount chief.
Minister Amongi has ignored that order for many days.
The main applicants in the case, which was decided on October 31, are Obia Denis Acila and Benjamin Okii of LCF.
They had sued Eng. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, Willie Omodo Omodo, Otim Tom, Vincent I. Oling, and other individuals.
After waiting in vain for the court orders to be executed, the applicants above have taken Minister Amongi to the High Court in Lira under Miscellaneous Application No. 004 of 2025, which stems from Civil Suit No. 10 of 2024.
The applicants, represented by M/S Egaru & Co. Advocates, M/S Ahamark Advocates, and M/S Abwang Otim & Co. Advocates, request the court to compel the respondent to:
- Arrest and committal to civil prison for acting in contempt of court order in civil suit No. 10 of 2024.
- To pay a fine of shs300m and general damages of shs200m for acting in contempt of court.
- Meet the costs of their application.
The counsels for the applicants informed respondent thus: “TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the grounds of this application are based on the provision of the law aforementioned and is supported by the affidavit of OBIA DENIS ACILA AND BENJAMIN OKII, the applicants which shall be read and relied upon at the hearing but briefly the facts are as follows:
According to a recent Daily Monitor story, Minister Amongi stated that the government was not convinced by the High Court’s decision to annul Eng. Moses Michael Odongo Okune’s election.
As Minister of the Gender Ministry, Amongi is directly involved in the affairs and management of the country’s cultural institutions.
By Tuesday evening, she could not be reached for comments on the suit filed against her.