Kampala, 17th/December/2021; The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo has withdrawn charges of criminal libel and offensive communication contrary to sections 179 of the Penal Code Act and 25 of the Computer Misuse Act against two online journalists, Pidson Kareire and Magara Darious of the Drone Media and East African Watch respectively.
Appearing before Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu, Peter Mugisha who represented the state told court, ‘ ‘the DPP has instructed me to inform the court that she is no longer interested in the case and has decided to withdraw charges against all the accused persons.”
The duo was arraigned before court on 17th May 2021 for publishing stories concerning Dott services Ltd, a construction company, and its inability to do good work on the Uganda-Congo road. The said stories were sourced from a debate in Parliament and were published on www.dronemedia.ug and www.eastafricanwatch.net.
Meanwhile, the case involving Pidson Kareire and Mugalula Moses of the Drone Media and Bilal FM respectively was today 17th December 2021 adjourned to 18th January 2022 at 10:00 a.m due to the failure of the State Attorney to appear in court. The duo is accused of publishing stories to the effect that the Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among is involved in corruption tendencies.
“We are pleased with the withdrawal of charges against the journalists. We appeal to the DPP to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated by police to avoid inconveniences of this nature,” said the HRNJ-Uganda Executive Director Robert Ssempala.
