Lira journalists condemn arrest of colleagues on duty

AGE LIMIT|MEDIA

Three Lira journalists who were on Tuesday arrested while covering age limit demonstration have spoken out narrating their ordeal as police leadership disassociate itself with the incident calling it acts of individual officers.

The Police spokesperson, Asan Kasingye said the entire institution of the Uganda Police Force should not be condemned for acts of individual officers. He ordered the regional police commander, John Peter Ematu to immediately release the journalist.

Robert Kalibongo of radio Unity, Denis Engena of NBS TV and Isaac Otwii of Daily Monitor were on Tuesday brutally arrested by police accompanied by NRM party cadres while covering a protest against removal of presidential age limit.

A group of unidentified youth had staged a protest along Oyite Ojok road and the journalists' were covering it when police and NRM party cadres arrested, bundled them on a police pick up and took them to Lira CPS.

Denis Engena said the RPC John Peter Ematu ordered for their arrest and he was assaulted and is still feeling pain.

Isaac Otwii

Engena said they were at first accused of inciting violence and again told it was a preventive arrest and were released without any charge.

He said his camera was returned but it's damaged and the memory card removed.

Engena said the RPC vowed to harm journalist covering protest in the region.

Isaac Otwii said he was covering the arrest of Robert Kalibongo when he was grabbed and bundled onto a police pick up and whisked to Lira CPS. He said at the CPS, he was assaulted by the in charge of the reception one Sgt Bua

Robert Kalibongo said he was dragged from his newsroom on orders of the RPC John Peter Ematu and taken to Lira CPS.

Ematu while releasing the journalists reportedly apologized and said he would not do it again.

Lira journalists who camped at Lira CPS in the morning condemned the action of the police calling it a fight against freedom of expression.

Lango United Journalists Association earlier condemned the act and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalists.

Patrick Ebong, the news editor of Radio Unity who witnessed the arrest of his reporter expressed dismay over the incident and condemned it.