I have learnt with utmost disbelief of the unprovoked violent attack on one of our journalists Brian Muganga Kivumbi by a lawyer and his clients while he covered a case in which they are plaintiffs in Nabweru.
It saddens us as a news organization and even more that the officers of the law whom we expect to uphold it are turning around to beat journalists.
I therefore condemn in the strongest terms possible this reckless attack on our reporter.
Management has made sure that he has gotten the best medical attention before registering a formal complaint of malicious damage and assault with the Uganda police under reference number 30/05/10/2022.
Brian is recovering well and responding to treatment.
We will be petitioning the Uganda law council, the Uganda law society and the Judiciary to rein in on their errant officer a one Kakoma Edgar from Bloom Advocates who participated in the beating of our journalist and is heard in a video recorded at the scene saying “he and his clients will not pay for the damages to Muganga’s equipment”
We have also instructed our lawyers to seek legal redress on the matter.
We will therefore be seeking all remedies available under the laws of Uganda and I can assure our staff, our journalists and the entire journalism fraternity in Uganda that this attack on our profession will not go unpunished and that we will seek out the most severe of punishments possible under the law.
Daniel Lutaaya
Managing Director
News 24/7