Court suspends Basajjabalaba assault case

Kampala/01st/Nov/2010; Buganda road court on 29th/Oct/2010 dismissed an assault case of a Kampala business don Hassan Basajjabalaba after the prosecution reported of unconcluded investigations into the matter by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Grade one magistrate Francis Kobusheshe noted that an assault case is not so complex to investigate and wondered what takes the Director of Public Prosecution so long to wind up with his investigations.

Hajji Hassan Basajjabalaba the chairman Entrepreneurship league in ruling party National Resistance Movement –Organization (NRM-O) on 06th/09/2010 slapped and boxed and shattered Arthur Kintu’s lips at the NRM special organs conference at Namboole stadium in Kira Town Council, Wakiso district.

Kobusheshe dismissed the case and ruled that the DPP may re-instate the matter if he collects enough evidence against Basajjabalaba.

However, Basajjabalaba had never appeared in court to answer to the above charge despite a series of court summons issued to him by Kobusheshe requiring him to appear in court since 09th/September/2010.

Prosecutor Happiness Ayinebyona had earlier asked court to adjourn the case saying the file was still with the DPP Richard Butera but court overruled.

Basajjabalaba’s Lawyer Geoffrey Nangunya asked court to dismiss the case.

Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) calls upon the DPP to quickly re-instate the case in the interest of justice. “No matter what office Basajjabalaba holds in the ruling party but he should be punished for his wrong deeds. Perpetrators of violence against journalists must be punished to end impunity in the lead-up February 2011 general elections” Said HRNJ-Uganda Programmes Coordinator Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala.

For More Information Contact;
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