Human rights network for journalists, HRNJ an association that fights for the rights of journalists in Uganda is crying foul after an unidentified gang stormed their offices on Sunday April 10th 2016, and tried to access their offices, making away with some petty materials.
According to Robert Ssempala, the HRNJ national coordinator, the assailants included a woman who hoodwinked the gate man into believing that she was a member of the association, before feeding him on poisoned food. He would later pass out and be found unconscious the next day and taken to Mulago hospital where he is recovering.
Now, Ssempala says they have reported the case to Old Kampala police station, with clear evidence of a CCTV camera footage clearly showing the events of the night.
He explains that their premises had in the past been robbed twice, though police did nothing to help, claiming there wasn’t sufficient evidence to bring the thugs to book.
They however believe that under the leadership of the celebrity cop, Afande Kirumira Muhammad, they will be brought to book.
“This trend of office break-in has been ongoing for a while with human rights organizations targeted in the country. HRNJ-Ugandan was last broken into on the night of 29th June 2015 with the robbers making away with computers, valuable documents, money safe and other property worth forty million shillings; it was also broken into in May 2013 while still at its old premises at Mengo, forcing it to shift to its current premises. Both cases were reported to police but no reports have since been availed. We appeal to the Uganda Police Force to expeditiously and thoroughly investigate this matter and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book,” said Ssempala.
