Another witness pins Basajjabalaba for assaulting a journalist

 Kampala, 8th/Aug/2011;A second witness in the photo journalist Arthur Kintu’s case has taken a stand and pinned Hajji Hassan Basajjabalaba for assault.IsmailNkonge 35, a journalist with Dembe FM is the second witness after Henry Mukasa senior reporter with the government owned news paper the New Vision who testified against Hajji Basajjabalaba on August 5th. Nkonge told the court that he saw Hajji Basajjabalaba trouncing on Kintu after taking his picture. He slapped and boxed him in the face several times. Afterwards Kintu came where we were while bleeding. We took him to police where he recorded a statement Narrated Nkonge. Prosecution alleges that Basajjabalaba assaulted Kintu on 6th/September/2010during the National Resistance Movement-Organization (NRM-O) delegate’s conference which was at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole. In the same meeting Basajjabalaba was elected the chairperson of the Entrepreneurs league National Resistance Movement Organization is the Uganda’s ruling party.

 Although the case has entered a second day of hearing but it’s likely not to reach its final conclusion due to a possible settlement of out of court whose move is being championed by the presiding magistrate Evan Faith Palodi. This is a small case which can be settled out of court like I have done to other ten case files of this nature. Fighting or quarrel is part of us because we are all human beings. Why should you (Arthur Kintu) take it as a big case How many of you here in the court room that do not fight or quarrel Grade One magistrate Evan Faith Palodi asked. Kintu and Basajjabalaba however consented to a settlement of out of court when the magistrate asked them. They agreed to meet over lunch in the presiding magistrate chambers and forge a possibility of settling the case out of court before a third witness (police surgeon) is called summoned to appear before court. The way forward of the case will determined after the meeting.

 For More Information Contact;

 Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)

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