A somber atmosphere prevails in the Soroti magisterial area following the passing of Chief Magistrate Margret Aanyu. Mrs. Aanyu, 54, lost her life in Kampala on Sunday, having been rushed there after being discovered unconscious in her Soroti residence on a Friday.
Mrs. Aanyu, known as the mother of the first son of Nile Breweries Board chairman Onapito Ekomoloit, had been posted to Soroti in 2020, where she oversaw three other Chief Magisterial areas, namely Kumi, Katakwi, and Kaberamaido. These areas have since become fully independent Chief Magistratorial jurisdictions.
In honor of her memory, a condolence book has been opened at the court premises, with a vigil scheduled to take place at her home in Kampala on Wednesday. A Funeral Mass is to be held at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Church Ntinda at 9:00 am on Thursday, followed by prayers at St. Jude Catholic Church, Bukedea, at 9:00 am on Friday. Her final resting place will be Kasooka, Bukedea, on Saturday.
The news of her passing has had a profound impact on court proceedings in Soroti’s magisterial area, with both staff and clients struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss.
One such individual, Stella Aero, who was awaiting a ruling on her three-year-old case involving stolen cattle, received the heartbreaking news of the Chief Magistrate’s demise. She revealed that she had last communicated with the Chief Magistrate on the preceding Wednesday, with an assurance of a ruling on the following Monday.
Patrick Okwakol, a Court Clerk who was on duty at the time of reporting, disclosed that they are in the process of rescheduling cases that were under the jurisdiction of the late Chief Magistrate. He also conveyed the immense shock that has gripped the entire staff in the wake of her passing.