8 Red pepper bosses will return to court on 14th February 2018 for
mention of a case where they are accused of among others disturbing the
piece of President Yoweri Museveni.
The development comes
after a hearing that was slated for today before Buganda Road chief
magistrate court failed to proceed due to the absence of the trial
magistrate Abdul Salaam Waiswa.
The Magistrate’s absence was
coupled with state Prosecutor (from UCC) submission to court that that
they were not ready for the hearing today as investigations are still
ongoing.
Dennis Nyombi, one of the defense counsels protested the submissions, accusing state of delaying trial of his clients.
He
requested court to order prosecution to serve them with a copy of an ex
parte order which was given by court extending time which Police should
continue with the siege at the Red pepper offices in Namanve.
Red Pepper offices, in namanve remain closed as hundreds of employees suffer with no jobs or salaries.
5
directors, James Mujuni, Richard Tusiime, Johnson Musinguzi, Patrick
Mugumya, Arinatiwe Rugyendo and Editors Richard Kintu, Ben Byarabaha and
Francis Tumusiime were arrested on November 21 for disturbing the peace
of president Museveni, his brother Salim Saleh and security Maj. Gen.
Henry Tumukunde.
They are accused of unlawfully causing
publication and distribution of a newspaper headline regarding military
operations, strategies and troops location well knowing that such
publication can disrupt public order and security.
They also
are accused of using computers for no legitimate purpose to disturb the
peace and privacy of Museveni, Saleh and Tumukunde by portraying them as
people who contrived a plot to overthrow the President of Rwanda.