Kampala, 06th/April/2012;
Ivan Kabbale, the NBS TV journalist who was knocked down by a police crane
towing Dr. Besigye’ car has finally been discharged from Kisubi hospital where
he has been receiving treatment since 31st/March/2012. But there was
confusion at the hospital when his file went missing on Wednesday.
Kabaale was knocked down at Luteete along Gayaza road as he
tried to capture the security convey in which Besigye was driven from Kampala
to Kasangati police division on Saturday 31st/March/2012. He told
HRNJ-Uganda that earlier in the day, a policeman in civilian attires asked him
to surrender a video tape containing the footage of the incidents of the arrest
and police actions during the scuffle but he managed to hold on to it.
Kabbale was first rushed to Capital Health Clinic and
Laboratory at Kasangati for first aid treatment before he was transferred to
Kisubi hospital along Entebe road on the same day.
Kabbale told HRNJ-Uganda that he had been informed by the
hospital attendants that his file was missing and as such he could not pay his
bills and be discharged.
“I am improving, getting stable now. I am not feeling too
much pain now, save for my left leg which was dislocated. I am nursing wounds
on the right leg and right arm. I was hoping to leave hospital today (Thursday)
but I have been told that my payments file went missing yesterday (Wednesday),
and that they were still tracing for it, so I can’t pay my bills to leave
hospital. I suspect it is sabotage to deny me justice.” Kabbale told
HRNJ-Uganda while still stuck at hospital.
When HRNJ-Uganda followed up the matter, the hospital denied
knowledge of the file missing. “I am not aware of the file’s disappearance. We
kept like any other file. I will follow up the matter tomorrow –Saturday.” explained
Dr. Asaba Robert of Kisubi hospital.
Sources have told HRNJ-Uganda that the missing file could be
the work of the security agents with a view of altering evidence.
Kabbale intends to open a case file against the police for
masterminding the accident.
“The incidents involving journalists are on the rise and all
of them have been the work of the uniformed and ununiformed policemen. We
encourage Kabbale to open up a case file and see what the police will do to
investigate the matter and hold the perpetrators culpable in this and other
related cases. These are serious claims against the police, so the onus in the
police leadership to handle the matter without fear or favor. Otherwise these
incidents pose a serious danger to the media in Uganda.” said the 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
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