KAMPALA– Two Ugandan Online journalists Pidson Kareire, Editor at Online Drone Media and Mr Darious Magara of East Africanwatch Net, were on Thursday, 27th May remanded to Kitalya Prison over Criminal Libel at Buganda road Chief Magistrates Court.
According to Police, the arrest is a culmination of investigations on the two journalists. This also follows complaint by Mr Pidson Kareire to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions ( DPP) over confiscation of his smart mobile phone for over a month by the CID officers.
The Police sats they were holding the phone to help them as they carried out some investigations.
But last week, the DPP’s office directed the CID office at Kibuli to return Mr Kareire’s mobile phone. They were later shocked when they had come to report to Police on Thursday where they were immediately arrested, taken straight to court and detained at Buganda Road court Police cells.
Mr Kareire recently said that when he reported to Police CID two weeks back, he was asked to pull down the Dott Services article from his website but declined saying he published a Parliamentary report on Dott Services.
When contacted for a comment, the Uganda Police Force (UPF) Spokesperson Afande Fred Enanga said the two journalists have been under police investigations on alleged Libel and defamation to the prejudice of Dott Services.
Enanga added that Byamugisha Gabriel and Co – Advocates acting on behalf of Dott Services complained to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on the two online publications.
Information from CID office released through Enanga, says reports by the two online publications were “libelous, hulicanating and apparently with intentions for economic gain”, the case Kareire and Magara denied.
The duo says, the allegations are fabrications, untrue, baseless and only aimed at punishing “soft targets” for public information published off Parliamentary proceedings.
Uganda Journalists Union (UJU) President Ms. Lucy Anyango Ekadu condemned the arrest saying it is strange to harass journalists who publish a report from the Parliamentary proceedings.
Anyango added that the arrests are disturbing and a systematic attempt by some elements to intimidate journalists for critical reply
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