Goeffrey Mutegeki and Muhammed
Ssendegeya -both Vision Group correspondents in Masindi and Kiryandongo
districts in Mid-Western Uganda, were arrested at Alero village by Moro when he
intercepted them on their way from interviewing the locals about a borehole
which they claim he diverted to personal use yet it was meant to serve the
community.
The journalists told Human Rights
Network for journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) that they were on their way to
interview Moro about the allegations labeled against him. “He intercepted us,
ordered us into his car which had his wife, son and two local council leaders
inside, then drove us to Diima police post where we were detained for a night.
He returned the following day and drove us to Kiryndongo police station from
where we were charged with criminal trespass and released on bond. We declined
to surrender our cameras and cellphones to them.”
“He has a borehole in his home
but we don’t know if it’s a personal property, that’s what we wanted to ask
from him. We are going to pursue the story; we can’t give up on it just like
that.” Mutegeki told HRNJ-Uganda.
Moro accused the journalists of
acting unprofessionally by coming to his district without informing the
authorities of their presence, and also accused them of being used by his
political opponent, one Kassim Owori, who he threatened to drag to court. “Me I
have no case against them as long as they become my witnesses in a case against
my brother-in-law, Kassim Owori, if they don’t they will be bundled together as
trespassers.” He told HRNJ-Uganda
However the Kiryandongo District
Police Commander, Patrick Byaruhanga, opposed the detention of the journalists,
“There was no need to detain them. How can you arrest and charge journalists
with trespass for doing their work, yet they are well-known to us and they
always cover our news? The policemen were intimidated and heeded to the orders
of the chairman to detain the journalists.
“HRNJ-Uganda condemns the actions
of the district chairperson. This amounts to abuse of office and total
violation of the fundamental media freedoms as provided for under Article 19.
The police should drop these tramped up charges against the journalists.
Politicians must desist from using their offices to shield themselves from
public scrutiny. We commend the intervention of the Daily Monitor scribe, Francis
Mugerwa and DPC Byaruhanga for having the journalists released” Said the
HRNJ-Uganda National Coordinator, Robert Ssempala
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