Matembe Attaches Cheeye’s Property

By Cyprian Musoke.LAWYERS representing the Minister of Ethics and Integrity Mrs. Miria Matembe and her husband Nekemia Matembe have seized property belonging to Uganda Confidential Editor-in-Chief Teddy Seezi Cheeye over failure to pay damages amounting to over sh22m.Cheeye is also a director in charge of the economic monitoring unit at the Internal Security Organisation.The property comprising computers, photocopiers, fax machine, Television and furniture used in the publication of the newsletter was carried out of the offices at the blacklines house on Colville Street in Kampala.Staff who were busy putting final touches to today’s issue were forced off their computers amid protests, as Hammer falls Auctioneers and Court bailiffs swept the newsroom clean of furniture.“I have work to do, hurry up with whatever you are doing because I have to go to press this evening. Don’t disturb me, I have to go to press,” protested an editor as his chair was pulled under him.Cheeye appeared briefly at the scene, and was seen speaking furiously on phone to somebody with whom they seemed to disagree.He later threw up his arms in desperation, and told the bailiffs to carry whatever they could move.The damages accrue from a 1994 defamation case which Cheeye and Uganda Confidential lost to Nekemia and Miria Matembe.According to Matembe, Cheeye has overtime been acting arrogant, despite persistent reminders from her lawyers, Byamugisha and Company Advocates.She said they once worked out a plan for Cheeye to pay sh5m per month, but apparently he “wanted to be forgiven”.“I asked my lawyer to get him settle out of court. When the lawyer went to Cheeye’s lawyer, they didn’t agree. “They wanted to just be forgiven. Today, it’s two years since judgement was given. I and my husband went through a lot of shame,” Matembe said.The bailiffs carried away 20 executive chairs worth sh1.6m, a photocopier worth sh500, 000, a music system worth sh250,000, and six used shelves worth sh300,000.Ends