TRIAL OF CBS JOURNALIST FLOPS DUE TO POWER FAILURE IN KALANGALA.

Kalangala, 23^rd/April/2012; The trial of a Central Broadcasting Service (CBS) journalist Ronald Ssembuusi has failed to take off due to a power blackout in the area which failed the prosecution from playing the said libelous material for court. So the state sought to adjourn the case.

Earlier on Ssembuusi’s lawyer, Catherine Anite raised a preliminary objection to the legality of the offence saying that the Penal Code Act does not envisage the facts of the offence with which Ssembuusi was charged since it provides for criminal libel and not slander and that it explicitly excludes sound which is a production and not a publication. She prayed that the matter be dismissed but the trial magistrate Hon. Gimungu Kenneth Kabiri overruled the objection and tasked the prosecution to prove that what the accused allegedly said also amounts to libel and not slander.

Daniel Kikoola the former Kalangala district chairperson dragged Ssembuusi -a correspondent for the Buganda Kingdom’ private radio for Kalangala district in the Central Uganda region to court accusing him of defamation  when he reported a story which aired on CBS radio on 17th/November/2011 that Kikoola was being investigated for alleged involvement in the disappearance of solar panels.

He was charged with criminal defamation on 21^st/March/2012 and released on Shillings 1 million non-cash bail.

Over 80 solar panels were donated by the African Development Bank through the ministry of water and environment in 2010 to help circulate clean and safe water in Kalangala Town Council. But about 40 (forty) of them went missing. Since November 2011, police have recovered some of them.

The case was adjourned to 5^th/July/2012. It will be up for mention on 25^th/May and 14^th/June this year.

“HRNJ-Uganda appreciates the fact that the trial magistrate expedited his ruling on the objections raised and prays that the subsequent hearings be handled the same way. We also call upon the judiciary to speed up pending trials involving other journalists” said HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator, Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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

POLICE SPRAY JOURNALIST WITH PEPPER IN THE FACE.

Kampala, 23^rd/April/2012; Police have sprayed a journalist Joshua Mutale with pepper in the face as he covered a news story at the Central Police Station (CPS)in Kampala. Mutale had come to CPS to cover a weekly press briefing by the police.

The Radio Simba journalist was recording a protest by a group of bear breasted women who stormed CPS detesting the manner in which policemen fondled the breasts of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change women leader Ingrid Turinawe as they stopped her from attending a political rally at Nansana in Nansana Town Council, Wakiso district.

Mutale told Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that he was the only victim of the attack as no other people including the protesting women were sprayed at.

“I was recording the voices of the women with a recorder in one arm and a set of earphones in another when a policeman I hardly identified appeared and sprayed pepper into my eyes using a hand spray. I fell down and was helped by fellow journalists. It is surprising that I was the only victim of the attack. Imagine I had been assigned to cover the police weekly press briefing, but on getting to CPS, I found the women and decided to cover the story as well. The operation to engage the women was being commanded by the DPC of CPS James Ruhweza. I have since got information and evidence to pin my attacker” Mutale told HRNJ-Uganda.

The commander for Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi used the weekly press briefing at CPS to apologize to the media, promising to take action against the responsible policeman.

The police have recently assaulted over five journalists within the vicinity of CPS including; The Observer’s Siraje Lubwama, Eddoboozi’ Anatoli Luswa, NBS’ Remmy Bahati, Kingdom FM’s Hasifah Wanyana and the Vision Group’s Joseph Mutebi, among others.

“We believe that this attack is not an isolated incident. Targeting individual journalists is part of the broader police and state plan to muzzle the media. CPS is a public police facility where suspects are detained and therefore should be accessed by their relatives and lawyers and the media among others. The police have on many occasions promised to take action against the police who brutalize journalists, but have instead ended up protecting them and in some instances promoting them. We are very concerned about the high levels of police brutality against journalists. We are following up on the matter to ensure that justice prevails.” said HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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

TELEVISION JOURNALIST ATTACKED DURING LAND WRANGLE, SURVIVED NARROWLY

Wakiso, 21^st/April/2012; Rebecca Nakame a reporter with the government owned Bukedde Television was attacked by a mob on the orders of one Hakaya Luswa a special police constable attached to Kajjansi police station. Her camera was damaged and confiscated.

The incident happened at Bweya village, Ssissa sub-county in Wakiso district where she had gone to cover a news story about a family land wrangle. She had not started filming anything when a family member saw her video camera in the bag and reported her presence. Luswa ordered for her beating. She was mobbed by some family members for about 10 minutes, while the others tried save her along with the local council defense chief.

Nakame told Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that she was kicked, slapped, pushed and pulled by the hair as she pleaded for mercy.

“When I opened my bag to remove and pick a call, the woman next to saw a video camera inside and she told others that there was a journalist in their amidst, it is then that Luswa ordered that they beat me. Two men pounced on me and started the beating before they were joined by others. I pleaded for mercy but they couldn’t heed. I was kicked in the back, slapped, pushed and my hair pulled in an attack that lasted for about 10 minutes. I fell down as I struggled to stand and run away. I survived narrowly, thanks to the area secretary for defense and some other few people especially women who rescued me.” Nakame told HRNJ-Uganda.

She sustained bruises and severe back pain. An assault and theft of property was reported a Kajjansi police station.

“We commend Kajjansi police for the urgency the have accorded this matter and we hope that thorough investigations will be carried out and the culprits will be brought to book. The manner in which the security officer handled the journalist was uncalled for since she was not told that the meeting which was in the courtyard was closed to the media. Hakaya was being accused of mishandling the family land, so that’s why he turned away the journalist in such a crude way. This is a serious case in which HRNJ-Uganda would help the victim journalist get justice.” Said HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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

POLICE QUIZ JOURNALIST OVER A4C STORY INTERVIEW

Kampala, 20^th/April/2012; The police have quizzed a Daily Monitor journalist Risdel Kasasira over a recent interview with the coordinator of the banned opposition pressure group Activists for Change (A4C) Mathias Mpuuga.

Kasasira, a political reporter appeared before the police’s criminal investigations directorate (CID) and was quizzed by the Media Crimes Department team led by Fred Mirondo for over an hour. The police are investigating cases of incitement of violence in a statement Mpuuga made during an interview with Kasasira which was published in Sunday Monitor of April 8^th, 2012 under the headline, our goal is to bring Museveni down.

In the interview, Mpuuga said the opposition was “duty bound to replace” President Museveni due to a breakdown of accountable government and harsh economic times, which the police equates to inciting violence.

During the interrogations, Kasasira who was accompanied by company lawyer James Nangwala and Deputy Company secretary Timothy Ntale, denied any wrong doing by interviewing Mpuuga.

“It was a question and answer interview story, I did not put my opinion at all, so I did not do anything wrong. The police also wanted to know whether I had more details other than what was published in the paper, where I had conducted the interview from and whether I had taken the photos of Mpuuga that were used in the paper. But majorly they wanted to make me a witness to testify against Mpuuga in court to which I declined.” Kasasira told HRNJ-Uganda soon after the interview.

In the summons, the police had asked Kasasira to surrender the original audio and visual form of the interview, to which he declined saying that it was against the media ethics. He vowed to stay focused despite this form of intimidation.

“I will continue doing my work as a journalist, for I know I committed no crime by conducting the interview. So, that intimidation will not stop me from interfacing with news sources.” Kasasira told HRNJ-Uganda.

Nangwala said that it was not possible for a journalist to testify against their sources of news.

“The police have openly turned against journalists who report about opposition related activities. Trying to compel Kasasira to witness against a source clearly manifests the state’s resolve to muzzle the press. Using of journalists as witnesses in criminal investigations by the police would set up journalists against the public which they are meant to serve. This would directly curtail press freedom.” said HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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

COMMISSION STARTS INVESTIGATION INTO JUSTICE FAITH MWONDHA’S CONDUCT AGAINST THE MEDIA

Kampala, 13^th/April/2012; The Judicial Service Commission has embarked on investigating into the alleged misconduct of Justice Faith Mwondha of throwing out journalists from her open court sessions.

The Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission, Justice James Ogoola said that he is convinced that this matter has to be handled following outcry from even different stakeholders including Advocates and State Attorneys.

Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) petitioned The Judicial Service Commission and the Principal Judge seeking for intervention to restrain Mwondha from witch-hunting the media. This was as a result of various incidents in Kampala, Jinja and Entebe where she reportedly threw out journalists from courtrooms for no clear reason.

In a letter to HRNJ-Uganda, dated 29thMarch 2012, Justice Ogoola said that Mwondha had already been contacted to respond to the complaints against her as part of the investigations.

“We have also received a communication on the matter from a group of interested Advocates and State Attorneys. I am now fully seized of the matter of this petition. I have already set the process rolling by formally informing the Judge of the existence of this petition; and requesting her Lordship to respond to the complaints against her.” Reads part of Ogoola’s letter

HRNJ-Uganda wanted the Commission to use its mandate under Article 147 (d) of the Constitution which is to receive and process peoples’ recommendations and complaints concerning the judiciary and administration of justice, to cause Justice Mwondha to explain her hatred for the media and furnish justifiable reasons, and investigate her conduct and take the most appropriate action to restrain her from further infringing on journalists’ rights and freedoms and to also write a declaratory order allowing journalists to cover all open court proceedings and restrain judicial officers from harassing media practitioners.

“HRNJ-Uganda welcomes the move and hopes that Justice Mwondha would at the end of the process be able to realize her mistake. The journalists are the people’s eyes and ears who need not to be thrown out of open courts.” Said HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.

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