John Wilson Nattubu Tsekooko Explained

John Wilson Nattubu Tsekooko
Honorific Prefix:Honorable
Birth Date:30 January 1943
Birth Place:Mbale, Uganda
Death Place:Kampala, Uganda
Occupation:Lawyer, judge
Years Active:19682017
Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda

John Wilson Nattubu Tsekooko (30 January 1943 – 14 October 2019), was a Ugandan lawyer and judge, who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda, from 1994 until 2015.[1]

Background and education

He was born in the Bugisu sub-region of the Eastern Region, Uganda, in 1943. He graduated from Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university, with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He also obtained a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, in Kampala.[2]

Career

Tsekooko served as a state attorney in the Directorate of Public Prosecution from 1968 until 1974. He then resigned and went into private law practice until 1977. He went into exile between 1977 and 1979.[1] [3]

In 1990, he was appointed to serve as a Judge on the High Court of Uganda. In 1994, a vacancy opened up on the Uganda Supreme Court. His name was nominated to the appointing authority by the Judicial Services Commission. President Yoweri Museveni appointed him to the Supreme Court of Uganda.[1] He served in that capacity until 2013 when he turned 70 years of age. He was hired on contract for another four years, until his retirement in 2017.[3]

As a private attorney

In 1980, Tsekooko served as a defence attorney for Milton Obote, in a defamation case against him filed by then presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni.[1]

As a Justice of the Supreme Court

On two occasions, in 2001 and 2006, Supreme Court Justice John Wilson Tsekooko ruled in favor of presidential candidate Kiiza Besigye in contested national presidential elections in each of those years. In both instances, Justice Tsekooko was a member of the dissenting minority on the bench.[1]

Death

Two weeks before his death, he was admitted to Norvik Hospital, a private healthcare facility in Kampala, Uganda's capital city. He died there on the afternoon of 14 October 2019. He was buried at his ancestral home in Bunakhaima Village, Butiru Sub-county, Manafwa District, on Saturday, 19 October 2019, at 4pm local time.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SoftPower Uganda . Retired Supreme Court Justice, John Wilson Tsekooko Dies . 14 October 2019 . 17 October 2019 . Paul Ampurire . Kampala.
  2. Web site: . 14 October 2019 . Justice Wilson Tsekooko Is Dead . 17 October 2019 . Anthony Wesaka . Kampala.
  3. Web site: The Illustrious Life of Justice John Wilson Tsekooko . . 16 October 2019 . 17 October 2019 . Baker Batte and Derrick Kiyonga . Kampala.
  4. Web site: 16 October 2019 . Tsekooko: Judge Who Ruled Twice Against Museveni Goes To Rest . . 17 October 2019 . Anthony Wesaka and Yahudu Kitunzi . Kampala.