Court orders govt, soldiers to pay Shs150m to tortured journalists
The High Court in Kampala on Thursday ordered the government and eight soldiers to pay Shs150 million in compensation to two journalists, Timothy Murungi and Henry Sekanjako, for torture they endured while covering a petition.
In 2021, Murungi and Sekanjako were covering a petition by the National Unity Platform (NUP) party candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, at the United Nations Human Rights Office when they were assaulted by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers.
The court found that the journalists’ rights to dignity, freedom from torture, inhuman treatment, and freedom of the press were violated. Justice Boniface Wamala ruled that the UPDF soldiers, including Lt. Col. Napoleon Namanya and Capt. Jessy Odwenyi, and the government were jointly liable for the damages.
The journalists testified about the severe injuries they sustained during the assault and the subsequent medical treatment they received.
Despite the Attorney General’s argument that the journalists lacked the authority to bring the case, the court dismissed this claim and held the UPDF commander and other respondents accountable.
Lawyers Lester Kaganzi, Michael Owiny, and Isaac Muwanga successfully represented the journalists in the case.
