Amin’s family to sue over film
President Idi Amin’s family has threatened to sue the producers and financiers of the film, The last King of Scotland, for compensation.
By Frank Mugabi
President Idi Amin’s family has threatened to sue the producers and financiers of the film, The last King of Scotland, for compensation.
The movie on the life of the former dictator has been shooting in Uganda for about three months with a cast of international actors Forest Whitaker, Kerry Washington and top local artistes.
Taban Amin, one of Amin’s sons, said on Thursday he was in contact with relatives in London, America and France to sue.
Taban said the family would also seek a court order to compel the film-makers consult them before screening it to ensure that it did not include some of the “outrageous allegations†against Amin, who died in exile in Saudi Arabia.
“They are going to act that he ate people. I stayed with him for so long but I never saw any human flesh,†he said.
He did not say how much the family would demand but added: “They are making big cash; we shall also need big cash.â€
He said they had engaged French lawyers to institute a suit that would also see them similarly take on the Kenyan producers of the film, The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin.
He said relatives in France were making final arrangements and names of the French lawyers and their firm would be made public next week.
“Because they did not consult us, they are going to act things that are untrue,†Taban said. He said the case would be heard in French courts.
Taban said Amin’s children and relatives in the Diaspora were afraid to return home given the negative campaign against their father.
He said though Amin was a dictator, there were more murderous presidents like Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo whom films have not been acted about.
He challenged claims that Amin killed half a million Ugandans between 1971 and 1979 .
“We have never seen the skulls of all those people like those of Obote in Luweero,†he said.
Whitaker last week said Amin was not a monster as portrayed in the West.
President Idi Amin’s family has threatened to sue the producers and financiers of the film, The last King of Scotland, for compensation.
The movie on the life of the former dictator has been shooting in Uganda for about three months with a cast of international actors Forest Whitaker, Kerry Washington and top local artistes.
Taban Amin, one of Amin’s sons, said on Thursday he was in contact with relatives in London, America and France to sue.
Taban said the family would also seek a court order to compel the film-makers consult them before screening it to ensure that it did not include some of the “outrageous allegations†against Amin, who died in exile in Saudi Arabia.
“They are going to act that he ate people. I stayed with him for so long but I never saw any human flesh,†he said.
He did not say how much the family would demand but added: “They are making big cash; we shall also need big cash.â€
He said they had engaged French lawyers to institute a suit that would also see them similarly take on the Kenyan producers of the film, The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin.
He said relatives in France were making final arrangements and names of the French lawyers and their firm would be made public next week.
“Because they did not consult us, they are going to act things that are untrue,†Taban said. He said the case would be heard in French courts.
Taban said Amin’s children and relatives in the Diaspora were afraid to return home given the negative campaign against their father.
He said though Amin was a dictator, there were more murderous presidents like Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo whom films have not been acted about.
He challenged claims that Amin killed half a million Ugandans between 1971 and 1979 .
“We have never seen the skulls of all those people like those of Obote in Luweero,†he said.
Whitaker last week said Amin was not a monster as portrayed in the West.