New Vision journalist granted bail
New Vision journalist Andrew Arinaitwe who was on 9th March 2023 remanded to Nkozi prisons on charges of criminal trespass with an intention to commit theft at Kings College Buddo has been granted a cash bail of 1 Million Uganda shillings and 5 Million Ugx non-cash for his sureties. He returns to court on 29th March 2023 for mention.
Arinaitwe who was on Monday released on police bond was later remanded by Nsangi Magistrates Court to Nkozi Prison on charges of criminal trespass till today 14 March 2023. The Prosecution alleges that Andrew trespassed into King’s College Buddo school premises.
Arinaitwe was on Sunday arrested and detained at Kings College Buddo police post on charges of criminal trespass into Kings College Buddo premises, but released on Monday evening after the intervention of HRNJ-Uganda’s Robert Ssempala, Diana Nandudu and Namutebi Mwajuma from Kiiza & Mugisha Advocates and Lydia Namubiru (journalist). He was, however, ambushed and taken to court as he reported back to police on 9th March 2023.
The prosecution led by Nsangi State Att, George Kunihira,alleged that on Sunday March 5, 2023, Arinaitwe illegally trespassed into King’s Coolege Budo with intention to commit theft at the School. Arinaitwe pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His lawyers led by Andrew Mumpenje from Human Rights Network for Journalists Uganda (HRNJU) and Mwajuma Namutebi from Kizza, Mugisha Advocates put up spirited defence before Magistrate Pamela Bomukama for their client’s bail application.
Despite Arinaitwe present three sureties in court, Kunihira opposed the bail application on grounds that the Local Council One letters they had presented did not match the details on their National Identity Cards.
At the time of his arrest, Arinaitwe was reporting on allegations of sexual abuse by teachers in Ugandan boarding schools, including at Kings College Budo, and had gone to the institution to seek comment from its principal after failing to reach him on the phone, according to his lawyers’ statement and Namubiru.
Arinaitwe entered the school without being stopped or questioned by a security guard at its gate, but then the principal, John Fred Kazibwe, accused the journalist of illegally accessing the institution and reported him to military officers who were on the campus, who in turn handed him over to the police, Namubiru told CPJ.