COURTACQUITS JOURNALIST AFTER THREE YEARS IN PRISON

Kampala, 30^th/May/2012; A High Court judge David Wangutusi has acquitted a Mega FM journalist Otim Patrick  and 12 other suspects who have been on charges of treason and concealment oftreason for lack of sufficient evidence to sustain a prima facie case.

Justice Wangutusi before acquitting the accused held that theconcealment of treason count is rendered defective because the prosecution failed to identify any accused persons who knew persons intending to overthrow the government. Therefore, there is no proof of those who knew and failed to report.

Defense lawyers led by Yunus Kasirivu, Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, Musa Ssembajja, Sauda Nsereko and Darlton continuously bowed as each of the accused persons was discharged.

The accused are journalist Patrick Otim, Patrick Komaketch, Alex Okot Langwen, John Otim, PatrickOkello, Jimmy OcengOpoka aka Billy, Francis Akena, Abonga Nick, Micheal Obol, Alfred LubelOlanya, Lt. Emmy Oryem Mwaka and Sgt. DevolenteMenya.  However, there are fears that Okot Langwen and Abonga have been re-arrested by the CID department of police and whisked off to Kibuli.

Patrick Otim was kidnapped in 2009 and detained incommunicado for more than a month and he was brought to court through a habeas corpus filled by Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda).

Prosecution alleges that the suspects committed the offence between 2006 and May 2009 in eight districts of Kampala, Masindi, Gulu, Pader, Kitgum, Nebbi, Apac and Amuru when they formed a rebel group called the Popular Patriotic Front (PPF) and recruited people to fight and overthrow President YoweriMuseveni’s government. It further alleges that they mobilized logistical support for the rebellion by obtaining satellite phones, Global Positioning System (GPS) machines, solar panels, black polythene sheets, gumboots, laptops, walkie talkies and firearms.

Speaking after the release, Otim applauded HRNJ-Uganda for the support rendered to him and his family since 2009 after the kidnap.  “I cannot imagine that am now out of prison because there are many inmates who have spent more than ten years in Upper prison languishing without knowing their fate.

He added that as a torture victim, the scars continue to haunt him and he fears for his life when he returns to the community.

“Justice has finally been served.  The people in Uganda have very little faith in the justice system in this country, but it is scenarios like this that restore the faith. This ruling is an achievement to the legal fraternity and the human rights circles as well. Otim Patrick and others have attained the liberty they deserve.” Said the HRNJ-Uganda Program 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

HRNJ-UGANDA ALERT, MT. LEBANON CHURCH ACCEPTS LIABILITY FOR ATTACKED MUKONO JOURNALISTS.

Mukono, 29^th/May/2012; The Pastor of Mt. Lebanon Church in Mukono, Samuel Lwandasa has apologized to the journalists and committed to buy new cameras to replace those damaged during an attack on Mukono journalists. This was during a meeting between the journalists and the church.

The meeting at Shame Gardens in Mukono was attended by Mt. Lebanon team led by Pastor Lwandasa. It included Pastor Kenneth Mutenza and Shem Ssemanda, while the victim journalists were led by Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) team led by Robert Ssempala and lawyer Catherine Anite. It was also attended by other Mukono-based journalists and the police.

A group of youths led by one Shem Ssemanda emerged from Mt. Lebanon Church in Kikooza, Mukono district and beat up four Mukono-based journalists on Sunday 20^th and confiscated their tools of work including a video camera. The victims are Kalumba Ronald of WBS television, Paddy Nsobya of Bukedde Newspaper (Vision Group of Companies), Makumbi Joseph of the Red Pepper and Bbuule Moses Kizito of Bukedde radio. They were following up on a news story rotating around the church.

Ssemanda admitted to attacking the journalists and apologized to them. “From the deepest part of my heart, am down on my knees begging my brothers Kalumba and Nsobya to forgive me for the attack which I was part of. Am sorry, I apologize and promise never to do it again.” Ssemanda told a meeting that lasted for over five hours.

Pastor Lwandasa apologized on behalf of the church, explaining that his church had no ill-intentions against journalists I it’s over 20 years of existence.

“I don’t know who participated or who never participated in the beating of the journalists, but all I know is that they were victims to an attack on the said day by some persons from my church. I was away preaching in the church. But I want to apologize on behalf of the church and hereby commit that my church would compensate the journalists for costs and replace their damaged cameras within a period not exceeding one month. I hereby plead for forgiveness on behalf of Shem (Ssemanda) and any other member of my church. We take the blame and we are very sorry about what happened.” confessed Pastor Lwandasa.

The journalists offered to forgive their attackers if they fulfilled the set conditions in the given period.

This comes at a time when the police were fast tracking the prosecution of the suspects. Pastor Lwandasa and Ssemanda were summoned and questioned by Mukono police for assault and malicious damage to property. The other suspects were are still at large.

 “HRNJ-Uganda is concerned by the attacks and wants to ensure that justice is delivered to the victims in an expeditious way. It is also imperative to promote peace and reconciliation between the media and the community where they operate. However, the case file should be processed for purposes of criminal prosecution if the suspects backtrack on the agreed upon terms. The attacks are an abuse of the media freedoms and rights which should not be condoned” 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

HRNJ-UGANDA ALERT, POLICE PREFERS ASSAULT AND MALICIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY CHARGES AGAINST MUKONO JOURNALISTS’ ATTACKERS.

Mukono, 22^nd/May/2012; The police in Mukono have started investigating into the attack of four Mukono district based journalists by summoning and quizzing Pastor Samuel Landasa of Mount Lebanon Church from whose church a group of youths emerged and beat up journalists on Sunday 20^th and confiscated their tools of work.

A group of about 10 led by one Shem Ssemanda attacked Kalumba Ronald of WBS television, Paddy Nsobya of Bukedde Newspaper (Vision Group of Companies), Makumbi Joseph of the Red Pepper and Bbuule Moses Kizito of Bukedde radio as they followed up a news story.

The journalists had gone to get the pastor’s side of the story about allegations that he had banished some critical members from his church who were accusing him of illegally conducting church marriages and changing the church land title into his name. Those banned were later arrested by police. It is this story that the journalists were following up on.

During a fact finding mission to Mukono, the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) team led by Lawyer Catherine Anite and Robert Ssempala established that the matter was being expeditiously handled by the police. A team of journalists in the area including the assault victims met with the District Police Commander Seiko Chemonges, the OC CID Henry Mugumya and OC Station Mwaule among others at the police station in Mukono.

Chemonges reassured the team that all the perpetrators would be brought to book. “Those people who beat up journalists must be brought to justice at an appropriate time, whoever they are. Am ready to ensure journalists’ safety in Mukono, to even give them security when covering contentious scenes.” said Chemonges.

“HRNJ-Uganda commends the expeditious manner in which the police have handled the matter and the assurance given to journalists while on duty in Mukono. We implore the police in other areas to emulate this exemplary action by the Mukono DPC. We are also following up the matter to ensure that it is handled in a more transparent way. We want the perpetrators to face the law and also compensate the journalists if it is established that their gadgets were damaged” said HRNJ-Uganda lawyer Catherine Anite.

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

HRNJ-UGANDA ALERT, MUKONO JOURNALISTS ATTACKED BY BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS

Mukono 21^st/May/2012; Three journalists working in Mukono district were attacked on Sunday by members of Mount. Lebanon Church as they went to cover a news story about the controversy surrounding the church. The church is led by Pastor Samuel Landasa.

The journalists included Kalumba Ronald of WBS television, Paddy Nsobya of Bukedde Newspaper (Vision Group of Companies), Makumbi Joseph of the Red Pepper and Bbuule Moses Kizito of Bukedde radio. They were attacked by a group of about five members of the church in a scuffle that lasted for about 30 minutes. The journalists had gone to get the pastor’s side of the story about allegations that he had banished some critical members from his church.

One of the victims, Kalumba Ronald told Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that he lost his tools of work and sustained bruises and body pain.

“We were waiting at a nearby shop opposite the church for the Service to end when a male church member came to us and warned us against writing about the pastor. He was shortly joined by three others who pounced on me; one of them started strangling me as the others pulled my video camera until I surrendered it to them along with its electronic charger, flash disc, company Identity Card, and other recorded materials. They kept threatening us with death if we did not stop writing about the pastor who the y said hates journalists.” said Kalumba.

Another victim Paddy Nsobya, who corroborated Kalumba’s account of the story, told HRNJ-Uganda that he was slapped several times as he tried to help Kalumba hold on to the camera. He was bruised in the process.

Kizito Moses Bbuule who was passing when he saw a group rough up journalists said he joined to save his colleagues. He was held by the collar and slapped by the group which he says was led by one Shem Ssemanda.

On Sunday, Pastor Landasa expelled some members who were accusing him of illegally conducting church marriages and changing the church land title into his names. Those banned were later arrested by police. It is this story that the journalists were following up on.

The Chairman Mukono Media Bureau, Joshua Kasawuzi told HRNJ-Uganda that the police did not help matters when he called them to rescue the journalists. “I personally rang the DPC for Mukono police Saiko Kyomwangesi to rescue our colleagues but he brushed the matter away by asking if the journalists had been invited to the church before he hang up on me. Kyomwangesi however said he referred the matter to his OC station as he was reportedly away from the station.

“HRNJ-Uganda has embarked on a fact-finding mission with a view of bringing the attackers to justice and therefore calls on the police in the area to professionally handle the matter. Criminalizing the work of journalists is one of the worst forms of abusing media rights and freedoms and should therefore be dealt with decisively by relevant authorities.” 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