Police grills two Monitor journalists
Nov 07, 2007
TWO Daily Monitor writers were interrogated at the CID headquarters yesterday in connection with an August 19 Sunday Monitor story, alleging that the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Faith Mwondha, was involved in a salary scandal.
By Steven Candia
TWO Daily Monitor writers were interrogated at the CID headquarters yesterday in connection with an August 19 Sunday Monitor story, alleging that the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Faith Mwondha, was involved in a salary scandal.
Robert Mukasa, the news editor, and Emmanuel Gyezaho, the author of the story titled ‘IGG in salary scandal,’ were quizzed for more than two hours before they were set free on Police bond after recording statements.
The two were accompanied to the offices in Kibuli by company lawyer James Nangwala and corporation secretary Anne Abeja.
The article claimed that the Ministry of Finance was investigating Mwondha for irregularly collecting the heftier salary of a sitting High Court judge, yet she was an IGG. It called for an investigation into the scam.
However, the finance ministry dismissed the article as false and the allegations baseless. The Police demanded to see the report quoted in the story.
The Daily Monitor yesterday stood by its story, claiming it was factual and published in the public’s interest, given that the person involved in the scandal was a public figure.
“The Police has preferred a charge of criminal libel against the journalists, but our story met all the professional standards,†Nangwala said.
TWO Daily Monitor writers were interrogated at the CID headquarters yesterday in connection with an August 19 Sunday Monitor story, alleging that the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Faith Mwondha, was involved in a salary scandal.
Robert Mukasa, the news editor, and Emmanuel Gyezaho, the author of the story titled ‘IGG in salary scandal,’ were quizzed for more than two hours before they were set free on Police bond after recording statements.
The two were accompanied to the offices in Kibuli by company lawyer James Nangwala and corporation secretary Anne Abeja.
The article claimed that the Ministry of Finance was investigating Mwondha for irregularly collecting the heftier salary of a sitting High Court judge, yet she was an IGG. It called for an investigation into the scam.
However, the finance ministry dismissed the article as false and the allegations baseless. The Police demanded to see the report quoted in the story.
The Daily Monitor yesterday stood by its story, claiming it was factual and published in the public’s interest, given that the person involved in the scandal was a public figure.
“The Police has preferred a charge of criminal libel against the journalists, but our story met all the professional standards,†Nangwala said.