Kampala, 06th/Jan/2012; Augustine Okello,
a radio presenter at Rhino FM (a branch of Top Radio) in Lira has finally been
committed for trial to the High Court in Kampala after spending six months in
jail.
Okello a.k.a
Rouks was kidnapped on the evening of 13th of July 2011 under unclear
circumstances in Lira District after holding a number of meetings with the
district internal security officer (DISO) Stephen Eriaku and another police man
attached to Lira Central Police station.
He was detained incommunicado for more than two
weeks in different places including Kitante based Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence
(CMI) and Kireka, the headquarters of Rapid Response Unit (RRU). RRU has since
been disbanded and incorporated into other security organs.
He was brought to court after Human Rights Network
for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) filled for habeas corpus at High Court in
Lira which pressurized security agencies and he was later taken to a
subordinate court in Kampala (Buganda Road court).
Okello is the second journalist from Northern Uganda
to be charged with treason after Mega FM’s Otim Patrick who was kidnapped in a
similar way and is currently languishing in Luzira prison pending the hearing
of his case.
Okello was charged with treason on 1st/Aug/2011
without a charge sheet and the defense lawyers are still struggling to access the
prosecution file.
Attempts however were made by HRNJ-Uganda’s Lawyer
Duncan Ondimu who applied for pre-trial bail in the High Court which was heard
on the 24th and 25th of October last year. However, court denied the accused
bail on the grounds that the medical form was vaguely written by the medical
officer at the prisons, the sureties were not substantial and that proof of
property and the particulars of Augustine’s land in Lira were not strictly
proven.
“We welcome the development but court should
consider releasing all suspects including the two journalists who are
languishing in Luzira prison’s remand section because police has failed to
conclude investigations into their cases. The police and other security
agencies should only arrest after thorough investigations in order to avoid
long pre-trial detentions.” said HRNJ-Uganda Programmes Coordinator Geoffrey
Wokulira Ssebaggala.
He stressed the need for a well designed mechanism
that will audit operations of the police in order to recommend for amendments
in the police Act.
We also call upon the judiciary with immediate
effect to consider releasing all suspects who have spent more than six months
on remand and expedite their trials.
HRNJ-Uganda is closely keeping track of the case and
eagerly waiting for court to fix the hearing date.
For More Information Contact;
Human Rights
Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya
Road Mengo Kampala Opp. St. Marcelino
Pre. School
P.O.BOX.
71314 Clock Tower Kampala
Tel:
+256-414-272934 / +256-414-667627
E-mail:
news@hrnjuganda.org
humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk
Website:
www.hrnjuganda.org
BLOG:
http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com
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