The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Buganda Road Court on Wednesday gave the Directorate of Public Prosecution and the Red Pepper directors two weeks in which to conclude negotiations and file a consent notice in court.
Chief Magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda says he has given the parties’ negotiations a last chance until the February 28, 2018 after which he will be forced to fix the case for trial.
This is after state prosecutor Abdul Salaam Waiswa revealed to court that negotiations between both parties are on-going and that court should give them them a chance to bear fruits.
The DPP accuses Red Pepper directors of publishing news that is prejudicial to national security and disturbing the peace of President Yoweri Museveni, his brother Gen Salim Saleh and security minister Gen Henry Tumukunde .
The Red Pepper offices at Namanve that had remained closed and under 24 hour surveillance by police, were finally opened soon after the Wednesday court session. Red Pepper director Arinaitwe Rugyendo announced that police has withdrawal from their premises after 84 days of siege by the Counter Terrorism Police.
“We will now resume from where we stopped and serve everyone with utmost professionalism and hot entertainment,” Rugyendo said.
The @UgandaPoliceFC has presented @RedPepperUG with a #Valentinesday2018 full & final withdrawal from our premises after 84 days of siege by the Counter Terrorism Police. We will now resume from where we stopped and serve everyone with utmost professionalism & hot entertainment pic.twitter.com/SRCR1FNgLG
— Arinaitwe Rugyendo (@RugyendoQuotes) February 14, 2018
Earlier negotiations by both parties saw the Red Pepper open temporarily at offices at the Social Security House in Kampala from where they have been operating from.
The accused directors are the Managing director Richard Tusiime, Finance Director Johnson Musinguzi, Director Operations Patrick Mugumya and a director who doubles as a secretary and chief marketing officer Rugyendo.
Others are the the Deputy News Editor Richard Kintu, James Mujuni a journalist , Ben Byarabaha a senior Editor and Francis Tumusiime, the special project Editor.
