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Uganda paper directors and journalists charged with treason

Thursday November 23 2017
By MONITOR

Five directors and three editors of Uganda's Pepper Publications Group have been charged with treason, offensive communication and disturbing the peace of President Yoweri Museveni, security minister Henry Tumukunde and Gen. Salim Saleh.

Those facing charges are directors: Mr Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Mr Patrick Mugumya, Mr Johnson Musinguzi, Mr Richard Tusiime (CEO) and Mr James Mujuni (CCO), and editors; Mr Ben Byarabaha (Managing Editor), Mr Richard Kintu (News Editor) and Mr Francis Tumusiime (also News Editor).

They are all detained at Nalufenya Prison in Jinja District, east of Kampala.

The group was arrested on Tuesday evening following the publication of a story titled; M7 plotting to overthrow Kagame – Rwanda, on November 20, 2017.

One of the company lawyers, Mr Dickens Byamukama, said the directors were brought back to Namanve on Wednesday where a charge and caution statement was read for them.

READ: Uganda police detain senior newspaper staff

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The Director of Public Prosecutions will, however, have a final say on the charges that the journalists face after the submission of files by detectives.

When asked why police included disturbing peace of President Museveni on the caution and charge statement, Police Spokesperson, Emilian Kayima said; "I have not looked at the charge and caution statement. I don't want to speculate."

The enemy

According to section 37 (1) of the Penal Code Act (Cap.120), a person who publishes or causes to be published in a book, newspaper, magazine, article or any other printed matter, information regarding military operations, strategies, troop location or movement, location of military supplies or equipment of the armed forces or of the enemy, which publication is likely to— (a) endanger the safety of any military installations, equipment or supplies or of the members of the armed forces of Uganda; (b) assist the enemy in its operations; or (c) disrupt public order and security, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years.

ALSO READ: Uganda in the spotlight over raid on media houses

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