Jailed Journalists Denied Bail Again, Remanded Until July 9th
The two journalists who were arrested for exposing alleged corruption involving influential personalities have been denied bail for the second time and further remanded until July 9th, 2024.
The journalists, Dickson Mubiru, the editor of Grapevine news website, and reporter Alirabaki Ssengooba, have been behind Luzira maximum prison bars since 21st June 2024 for their investigative work into high-level corruption.
Their legal team headed by Andrew Mupenje had sought bail, citing the journalists’ constitutional right to freedom of expression and the public’s right to know. However, the court presided over by Buganda Road Grade I magistrate Winnie Nankya, ruled in favor of the prosecution, which argued that the duo could interfere with ongoing investigations.
The magistrate, appointed July 9th, 2024 afternoon as a suitable day for her to rule on their bail application after hearing another charge they are facing on the same day at 10:00 am.
The incarcerated journalists are battling two cases of running a news website without a valid license and defamation, which was set aside to first deal with lacking permission to operate.
The HRNJ-Uganda, condemned the “charging of journalists with flimsy crimes for simply doing their work,” calling for the expaditement of the court process in the interest of serving swift justice to journalists.