Human Rights
Journalists Alirabaki Sengooba and Dickson Mubiru Granted Bail
Release on bail for the Grape Vine and a local newspaper Ono Bwiino journalists Alirabaki Sengooba and Dickson Mubiru by the Buganda Road Court magistrate HW Winnie Nankya Jatiko, has been cancelled by the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court magistrate, HW Sienna Owomugisha.
The trial magistrate noted that the accused journalists were to take fresh plea before her Court since the files had been transferred from the Buganda road for lack of jurisdiction to try them.
The duo had been told earlier to pay 500,000 shs cash each as part of their bail condition, while their sureties 2 million shs. each non cash.
Journalists Dickson Mubiru and Alirabaki Sengooba of the Grace Publications that runs an online English site the Grape Vine and a local newspaper Ono Bwiino have been further remanded to Luzira prison until Thursday 11 July 2024, on charges of publishing information without a valid broadcasting license.
Back ground
Buganda Road court chief magistrate Kayizzi was presented with two separate files with the same charges, accused and grounds three weeks back which prompted the trial magistrate to rule that to avoid bias he will not handle both files thus allocating one of the file to another magistrate and the consequently remanding them on separate dates.
According to the statement of offence by the state which was represented by state attorney Ivan Kyazze in Court, on 13th June 2024, journalists Mubiru, Sengooba and others still at large in Kampala published a story titled “inside story; how top legislators shared $5million vitol oil deal bribe” in grape vine online media without a valid broadcasting licence from uganda communications Commission.
Prosecution also alleges that on the 15th day of May 2024, within Kampala district published a story titled “Lawyer Kalali, justice Nkonge clash over court case file.” in grape vine media without a valid broadcasting licence from Uganda communications commission.
On their maiden appearance before court, on 20th, June, 2024, the accused journalists denied charges and pleaded not guilty to all the said charges that were levelled against them.
In what looked to be very surprising to the journalists who attended the court session on Thursday is seeing the ‘human rights’ lawyer Steven Kalali taking to the witness stand against the 2 accused journalists.
Earlier in the day on Thursday, journalists who were led by the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) Secretary General Emmanuel Kirunda camped at the CPS to heighten the efforts geared to ensuring unconditional release of a pair of the detainees since they had been detained beyond the 48 hours contrary to the constitution since Tuesday 18 th June.
It later emerged from the highly placed sources in security and the judiciary that despite the above, the duo would not be released on Police bond but would instead be presented to Court since there were some two high ranked judicial officers that were much interested into the matter, hence moved to Buganda Road Court.
Kirunda however, expressed concern over the narrowing media space which has adverse implications to the enjoyment of independent press freedom in Uganda. He urged journalists to always stand together in the fight for their freedom.
“Every valuable thing is fought for, so journalists must bear that in their mind” Kirunda emphasized.
The Grace Publication journalist’s apprehension and detention, brings to 6 the number of the journalists in the space of only 4 months since February 2024 to this date. These include among others, Moses Lemisa with Vision Group and Julius Tukacungurwa-Umoja Standards.
