POLICE BEAT UP JOURNALIST, DELETE PHOTOS AND CHARGE HIM WITH CRIMINAL TRESPASS

Pader, 12^th/December/2012; The police in Pader have beaten up a journalist, Frank Ezaruk who is the Uganda Radio Network (URN) bureau chief for Kitgum in Northern Uganda.

Ezaruk was covering a story about the contentious land in Manilamintwiea from where people were evicted in 1920. The former Member of Parliament for Erute North Angiro Gutomoi Charles had threatened to move to that area with about 5,000 evictees, however, Police moved to block him.

Police went ahead to arrest some locals they accused of conniving with Angiro to cause chaos. So when

Ezaruk took photos of these suspects and others like the Pader district chairman, Alfred Akena while addressing the locals, four policemen in a nearby parked police pick up descended on him, grabbed his camera and started deleting the photos one by one.

“The officer in charge of operations for Pader district Onek Romeo Ojara took me over to the District Police Commander for Pader, Sabiiti Ambrose who said he had not given me permission to take any photos. Sabiiti therefore ordered that they should take my camera and detain me as well. They ordered me to sit down. When I asked for the crime I had committed, two policemen kicked me from behind until I was on the ground.” Narrated Ezaruk to HRNJ-Uganda.

Ezaruk said that after about an hour on the ground, they now wanted to tie him along with other suspects, but when he resisted saying he wasn’t a criminal, two other policemen pushed him further on the ground and tied his arm with a rope. The OC Operations however ordered to untie him moments later.

The police then immediately charged Ezaruk with criminal trespass and taking photos from a prohibited area.

“They took my statement which they wanted me to sign  without reading it back to me as required by law.

They had omitted the part where I said I had been kicked and pushed on the ground. They later included it and I signed. And I was released on bond. My arm is hurting and am suffering from serious back pain” Said Ezaruk.

When contacted, the DPC Sabiiti told HRNJ-Uganda that the journalist committed an offence when he took photos of a prohibited area without permission from the police. He threatened to prosecute Ezaruk if he misbehaves now.

“I had pardoned him but now that he is making noise, I am going to prosecute him. This issue is complicated, and this land wrangle can not be reported in the media. I had told him not to take any photos from here. So he committed a crime. But I don’t know who deleted his photos” Said Sabiiti.

Ezaruk reported back to police on 12^th/January/2012 and had his bond was extended to the 18^th/January/2012 as investigations into the alleged case continue.

“HRNJ-Uganda is currently undertaking investigations into the matter and will not hesitate to take punitive action against these police officers.”  HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala noted.

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 PETITIONS POLICE DISPLINARY BODY OVER LIRA JOURNALIST.

Lira; 12^th/January/2012. The Human Rights Network for Journalist-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) has petitioned the police’s Professional Standards Unit (PSU) over the arrest of Daily Monitor’s journalist, Opio Emmanuel and deletion of photos from his camera.

HRNJ-Uganda has asked the commandant of PSU, Commissioner Kyomukama Samuel to carry out investigations and ensure that Opio opens up a case file against the officers and take action against those who violated the law. The petition was also brought to the attention of the police chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura and the Uganda Human Rights Commission.

Opio, the daily Monitor correspondent based in Lira district, alleges that on the 17^th day of December 2011, while he was covering a story where the police were interrogating four suspects arrested during a demonstration that protested UMEME’s failure to provide power to the residents in the area, he was arrested and harassed by the Deputy Regional Police Commander (D/RPC) for Lango region in Northern Uganda, Alfred Tumure.

He further alleges that Alfred Tumure the D/RPC, with the aid of two other policemen roughed him up and slapped him before deleting all materials from his photo camera. The complainant also claims that he was briefly arrested and detained for two hours before the UPDF Army’s 5th Division Spokesperson Ceaser Olweny intervened and pleaded on his behalf.

Opio’s efforts to open up a case file against Tumure at the Lira Central Police Station were allegedly frustrated when all the police officers including the OC CID Tugume Godwin, one Owuni (Police no: 26351) and Mapuwe (no: 25129) along with other plain clothed policemen turned him away, claiming that it was not proper to institute a case against their superior who they believed had committed no offence

If proved, these allegations constitute a violation of the complainant’s right to freedom of information and media freedoms under Article 29 and freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment contrary to Article 24 and 44 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

“It is therefore in the interest of HRNJ-Uganda that these errant officers are brought to book in a very transparent manner without any delay.”  HRNJ-Uganda Programme Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala emphasized.

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

Bail Application filed for committed journalist.

 

Kampala, 10^th/Jan/2012; Augustine Okello, a radio presenter at Rhino FM (a branch of Top Radio) in Lira has applied for bail in the High Court in Kampala through his defence lawyer, Counsel Duncan Ondimu.

Okello, who was committed to trial in the High Court on the 6^th of January 2012, has been in detention for six months now.

This is the second bail attempt, the first one having been denied by the presiding judge on grounds that the sureties were not substantial, that the medical form was vague and that proof of ownership of the accused’s land in Lira was not strictly proven.

HRNJ-Uganda and the defense counsel have filed a fresh bail application in the High Court in Kampala under bail number (06/2012) with the relevant amendments. A new medical form clearly indicating that the accused is ill and cannot be treated by the prison has already been obtained. Other sureties from Lira have been identified and Proof of ownership of the accused’s land has also been availed by his wife.

However, currently most of the judges are attending the 14^th annual judges’ conference in Kampala which will last for four days. We hope that as soon as applicable, there will be an available judge to hear the application, so that the accused receives justice expeditiously.

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.

Since the time of his arrest and detention, Okello’s health condition has and continues to deteriorate greatly due to the conditions in Prison. Therefore, HRNJ-Uganda hopes that the presumption of innocence as laid down in the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 under Article 23(6) (a) be visited in his favour and in the interest of justice and observation of the Constitution.

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

Journalist committed to High Court for trial

Kampala, 06^th/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 1^st/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

HRNJ-Uganda condemns police for roughing up and denying justice to a journalist.

Lira, 06^th. January.2012; The Human Rights Network for Journalist-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) is dismayed by the conduct of the Deputy Regional Police Commander (D/RPC) for Lango region in Northern Uganda, Alfred Tumure who roughed up a journalist and slapped him before deleting all materials from his photo camera.

Emmanuel Opio, the Daily Monitor correspondent based in Lira district fell victim to this gruesome act on 17^th-December-2011 when he was covering a story where the police were interrogating four suspects arrested during demonstration that protested Umeme’s failure to provide power to the residents in the area.

The four suspects included Mike Adoko who is the ruling party NRM spokesperson for Lira district, Patrick Omara the opposition FDC spokesperson for Oyam district, opposition UPC’s Issa Otto who is the former area Member of Parliament (MP) for Oyam and Charles Amiru also former MP for Erute North in Lira district, all of whom have since been charged with staging an illegal assembly.

Opio says that as soon as he had entered the interrogation room at Lira police, Tumure grabbed his camera and stuck to it for two hours.

“With the assistance of two other police men, Tumure roughed me up, slapped me before taking away my camera. I had not taken any photos there. He detained me for two hours. He returned my camera only after the intervention of the UPDF army’s 4^th division spokesperson Ceaser Olweny. At the time, the camera had been formatted thereby deleting all my materials.” Opio narrated to the Human Rights Network for journalists (HRNJ-Uganda).

However, Tumure did not inform Opio about the deletion of his material from the camera.

Efforts by Opio to open up a case file against Tumure at the Lira Central Police Station were frustrated when all the police officers including the OC CID Tugume Godwin, one Owuni (Police no: 26351) and Mapuwe (no: 25129) along with other plain clothed policemen turned him away.

“They said they could not institute a case against their very superior. Tugume told me that he had consulted with the Resident State Attorney who sealed the matter when he advised that there was no case to answer for Tumure since he had committed no crime.” Opio Said.

Tumure who declined to comment about the deletion of the materials from Opio’s camera told HRNJ-Uganda that he was not aware that Opio had any concerns. “I am not aware that the journalist was aggrieved at all.”

The Lira CPS officer in charge of Training and administration, Fisto Sikaku told HRNJ-Uganda that Opio was free to report his case to any other nearby police station or to the Police’s Professional Standards Unit (PSU) in Kampala. He said he did not know on which grounds they denied Opio his right to file a case.

Opio feels aggrieved because he was assaulted, intimidated and harassed.

“It is very unfortunate for the police who are supposed to uphold law and order to blatantly abuse people’s fundamental rights including the freedom of the media and the right of access to information as the eyes and ears of the public. Otherwise, this is serious case of abuse of office which HRNJ-Uganda has resolved to pursue to the very end.” Warned the HRNJ-Uganda Program Coordinator Geoffrey Wokulira Ssebaggala

He added that it seems that there was connivance among the officers to frustrate the journalist’s efforts from seeking justice from a law enforcement institution.

HRNJ-Uganda calls on the police in the area to allow the journalist open up a case against the deputy RPC Tumure within this week and police should investigate the matter failure of which the organization will not hesitate to take drastic measures to ensure that justice prevails.

HRNJ-Uganda therefore calls upon the police force to use internal mechanisms to prevail over its errant officers like Tumure and Tugume.

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