High Court in Kampala has Friday issued an interim order refraining journalists and media houses sued by police chief Kale Kayihura from publishing anything to do with the Kaweesi murder investigations.
Joy Kabagye, the High court deputy registrar granted the application for an interim order today in the presence of the representative of the Attorney General only.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kale Kayihura on Wednesday sued journalists and four media companies for allegedly compromising national security by reporting on the ongoing investigations into the March 17 assassination of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi.
Kaweesi, then working as police spokesperson, was attacked by yet unknown gunmen shortly after he left his home in Kulambiro, Kampala. His driver, Godfrey Mambewa and bodyguard Kenneth Erau were also killed.
The interim order only affects The Red Pepper, The Investigator, The Ugandan, Chimpreports plus their owners and the chief news editors.
"An interim order doth issue restraining the respondent/defendant by themselves or through their authorised agents/servants/employees from publishing the contents or running any series on the investigations into the murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi pending disposal of the main application," reads the order in part.
According to the main application, the defendants obtained confidential documents into the murder investigation and National security without clearance from government.
The application filed at High Court Civil Division seeks an injunction refraining the media companies from publishing any articles relating to the ongoing investigations into the murder of Kaweesi.
Kayihura also seeks declaration that the publications and intended publications of the defendants are injurious to the investigations underway, national security and prejudicial to the workings of Security Agencies of Uganda.
The application also wants a permanent injunction to refrain all media companies and houses from publishing and using confidential information of government or any other part thereof.
The interim order is to remain in force until August when Justice Stephen Musota hears the main application.
