Former Old Kampala DPC, Joram Mwesigye has been convicted for beating Mr Andrew Lwanga, a freelance journalist attached to the defunct WBS Television two years after the offence was committed.
Buganda Road Court Grade one magistrate, Gladys Kamasanyu on Friday found Mr Mwesigye guilty of assaulting Mr Lwanga thereby occasioning bodily harm.
As a result, he was ordered to compensate Mr Lwanga with Shs5m in addition to paying Shs1m court fine within 30 days or serve one year in jail.
Mr Mwesigye was charged with three counts ranging from assault occasioning bodily harm and malicious damage of property.
Court heard that on January 12, 2015 at Florida bar and guest house along Namirembe road in Kampala, Mr Mwesigye brutally assaulted Mr Lwanga, a journalist who was attached to WBS Television and one Joseph Ssetimba from Bukedde a local television.
Mr Mwesigye opted to close his defence upon presenting two witnesses who included; a police officer and a boda boda rider. On October 26, 2016, state attorney, Ms Patricia Chingtho, as well decided to close the prosecution case with six witnesses testifying in the case against Mr Mwesigye.
Investigators from the police Professional Standards Unit arrested Mr Mwesigye on January 13, 2015 after the alleged brutal attack on the journalists who were covering a demonstration by unemployed youths. Mr Lwanga suffered severe spinal injuries allegedly inflicted on him by Mwesigye’s assault.
Prosecution further told court that on January 12 last year, along Shell Petrol Station in Bakuli, a city suburb, Mr Mwesigye maliciously damaged two video cameras belonging to Mr Lwanga and Mr Ssetimba.
However, prosecution failed to prove the case of malicious damage against Mr Mwesigye prompting magistrate Kamasanyu to acquit him of the charge.
©Alleastafrica and Daily Monitor
