By EPHRAIM KASOZI
Posted Thursday, May 23 2013 at 15:37
Posted Thursday, May 23 2013 at 15:37
The police have defied the court order directing
them to vacate the Monitor Publications premises they seized since
Monday. Instead of opening the gates to allow employees to access their
offices, police deployed more officers.
So far 8th street in Industrial Area has been
closed to public use, with anti-riot police blockading the road. More
officers armed with guns and teargas canisters are also on site. More
trucks, including one that sprays peppered water, are on standby in the
neighbourhood.
Monitor Publications was cordoned off on Monday after police secured a search warrant from Nakawa Magistrates Court. However, police ordered Monitor authorities to switch off the printing press and proceeded to put KFM and Dembe FM - the two sister stations of Monitor - off the airwaves.
Monitor Publications was cordoned off on Monday after police secured a search warrant from Nakawa Magistrates Court. However, police ordered Monitor authorities to switch off the printing press and proceeded to put KFM and Dembe FM - the two sister stations of Monitor - off the airwaves.
Police claim they are searching for a letter
authored by the Coordinator of Intelligence Services, Gen David Sejusa,
also known as Tinyefuza, warning of a possible plan to eliminate top
government officials opposed to a "Muhoozi Project". The project is
alleged to be planning to usher into power Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the
son of President Museveni, once his father retires. The letter was
addressed to the Director General of Internal Security Organisation, Col
Ronnie Balya.
While vacating the search warrant, Nakawa Grade
one Magistrate Rosemary Bareebe noted: “Upon reading and considering the
application for vacating the search warrant issued to D/ASP Mbonimpa
Emmanuel on the 20th May 2013 and upon reading the affidavit of Mr Alex
Asiimwe, the Managing Director of Monitor Publications dated 22 May
2013, It is hereby order that; the Search warrant issued to D/ASP
Mbonimpa Emmanuel...is hereby vacated in the exercise of the given to
the court.”
According to the Deputy Police Spokesperson, Mr
Patrick Onyango, who was at Monitor offices today, even if police
returns the search warrant to court, they will use other sections of the
law to continue with the search.
"Section 27 of the Police Act empowers police,
with or with the warrant, to search the premises. Officially, we have
not received the order, because the police commissioner in charge of
legal affairs has been in Parliament throughout the day," Mr Onyango
said.
A meeting that was scheduled by management to
address members of Monitor staff also failed after armed police officers
kept employees away from the entrance to the premises.
Mr Tom Mshindi, the Nation Media Group - the
owners of Monitor - operations manager, said: “We are very surprised by
the police action because it appears their intention is to frustrate the
court order.”
Ms Ann Abeja, the company secretary, accused the
police of dodging the court order. “We shall continue engaging our
lawyers to find possible remedies and dialogue with authorities.”
“Ideally, police have no alternative but to comply
with the court directive and vacate the premises because the same
magistrate who issued the warrant vacated it but in the process we see
more deployment,” said Ms Abeja.
Meanwhile, Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander
has camped at Monitor offices after getting information that a section
of MPs were around the same place. MPs, including Gerald Karuhanga,
Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Mathias Mpuuga, Brenda Nabukenya, Moses
Kasibante, Joseph Sewungu and Steven Ochola, visited Monitor to find out
what is exactly happening.
"Police is breaking the law. The court order is here but they have refused to obey the orde," Mr Karuhanga said MP Ssemujju said they would go back to Parliament and task the Minister for Internal Affairs to explain the police action.
"Police is breaking the law. The court order is here but they have refused to obey the orde," Mr Karuhanga said MP Ssemujju said they would go back to Parliament and task the Minister for Internal Affairs to explain the police action.
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