Police search Monitor
The Monitor newspaper was last evening thrown into confusion when over 50 Police and other security officers raided their offices and searched them for over three hours
By Yunus Abbey, Geoffrey Kamaali & Stephen Candia
The Monitor newspaper was last evening thrown into confusion when over 50 Police and other security officers raided their offices and searched them for over three hours.
The Police ringed off the paper’s headquarters at Namuwongo, Industrial Area, the marketing office on Nkrumah Road and Monitor FM on Crown House, Kampala Road shortly after 6:30 pm.
An editor said late last night the Police stopped them from continuing with the production process for today’s edition.
Over three dozen officers, both uniformed and plain-clothes, from the CID headquarters and from Jinja Road Police Station entered the media houses and barred anybody from getting in or out.
They were led by Moses Sakira, Kampala CID chief.
“They confiscated all mobile phones, removed handsets from all fixed lines and shut down computers. They ordered us to stop using any equipment,†said a reporter from inside the newsroom. The staff said the Police did not have a search warrant and did not say what they were looking for.
“We suspect it has to do with today’s (Thursday’s) main story about a UPDF helicopter said to have crashed in the north. They came asking for Frank Nyakairu, the reporter who filed the story. They asked where he sits and they started their search,†said James Serugo, business director at his Crown House office.
The Monitor reported yesterday that an army combat helicopter had crashed in Adilanga in Pader district in unclear circumstances.
The paper said the plane was being flown by foreigners and could have been shot down by rebels. The army denied reports.
Monitor staff said the Police seized documents, copied computer files especially stories related to the war in the north. At Namuwongo, they searched every drawer and every office.
Managing director Wafula Ogutu was reported out of the country. Charles Onyango Obbo, the managing editor and Kevin Aliro, were called back to office to have their offices searched.
Production editor Ouma Balikoowa, who was on duty at the time, said production had been interrupted by the search.
“The Police say they will take away whatever they think is useful,†said Ouma. Staff argued with the police after they failed to produce search warrant.
The staff said Nyakairu was picked earlier by the army yesterday and flown to Gulu to be shown that all the helicopters were intact. Nyakairu told New Vision last night that he was safe. The Monitor’s board chairman, Martin Aliker, said he did not have details about the search. He however added government had not complained to him about the newspaper.
“What we have seized is useful to the search. We certainly have good evidence,†said a detective.
The Police briefly blocked guests to Andrew Mwenda Live talk-show from leaving the station offices. The guests were Keith Muhakanizi, the finance ministry economic affairs director.
Kevin Aliro said he was called from leave to have his office searched. “They took my notebook which contained names of some Rwanda colonels, copied telephone numbers of Okwiri Rabwoni and notes for programmes of Mwenda’s programs. I suspect the search has something to do with the chopper story,†said Aliro.
Obbo could not comment by press time as the Police were still searching his office.
The mood in the newsroom was tense.
At 9:30pm, the Police started a body search of reporters.
The Monitor newspaper was last evening thrown into confusion when over 50 Police and other security officers raided their offices and searched them for over three hours.
The Police ringed off the paper’s headquarters at Namuwongo, Industrial Area, the marketing office on Nkrumah Road and Monitor FM on Crown House, Kampala Road shortly after 6:30 pm.
An editor said late last night the Police stopped them from continuing with the production process for today’s edition.
Over three dozen officers, both uniformed and plain-clothes, from the CID headquarters and from Jinja Road Police Station entered the media houses and barred anybody from getting in or out.
They were led by Moses Sakira, Kampala CID chief.
“They confiscated all mobile phones, removed handsets from all fixed lines and shut down computers. They ordered us to stop using any equipment,†said a reporter from inside the newsroom. The staff said the Police did not have a search warrant and did not say what they were looking for.
“We suspect it has to do with today’s (Thursday’s) main story about a UPDF helicopter said to have crashed in the north. They came asking for Frank Nyakairu, the reporter who filed the story. They asked where he sits and they started their search,†said James Serugo, business director at his Crown House office.
The Monitor reported yesterday that an army combat helicopter had crashed in Adilanga in Pader district in unclear circumstances.
The paper said the plane was being flown by foreigners and could have been shot down by rebels. The army denied reports.
Monitor staff said the Police seized documents, copied computer files especially stories related to the war in the north. At Namuwongo, they searched every drawer and every office.
Managing director Wafula Ogutu was reported out of the country. Charles Onyango Obbo, the managing editor and Kevin Aliro, were called back to office to have their offices searched.
Production editor Ouma Balikoowa, who was on duty at the time, said production had been interrupted by the search.
“The Police say they will take away whatever they think is useful,†said Ouma. Staff argued with the police after they failed to produce search warrant.
The staff said Nyakairu was picked earlier by the army yesterday and flown to Gulu to be shown that all the helicopters were intact. Nyakairu told New Vision last night that he was safe. The Monitor’s board chairman, Martin Aliker, said he did not have details about the search. He however added government had not complained to him about the newspaper.
“What we have seized is useful to the search. We certainly have good evidence,†said a detective.
The Police briefly blocked guests to Andrew Mwenda Live talk-show from leaving the station offices. The guests were Keith Muhakanizi, the finance ministry economic affairs director.
Kevin Aliro said he was called from leave to have his office searched. “They took my notebook which contained names of some Rwanda colonels, copied telephone numbers of Okwiri Rabwoni and notes for programmes of Mwenda’s programs. I suspect the search has something to do with the chopper story,†said Aliro.
Obbo could not comment by press time as the Police were still searching his office.
The mood in the newsroom was tense.
At 9:30pm, the Police started a body search of reporters.