Arrested journalists were helping expose corruption – spokesperson

KAMPALA: Ugandan police arrested a team of BBC journalists for illegal possession of prescription drugs, but the country’s government spokesperson said the reporters had been helping to expose corruption, and demanded their immediate release.

Patrick Onyango, Uganda’s police spokesperson, said yesterday five suspects had been detained overnight. They included two Ugandans and one Kenyan working for the British broadcaster, as well as the wife of a local journalist from NBS Television, who was working with them, and a driver.

Fourteen boxes of tablets were seized, along with other vaccines.

Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said the journalists had been co-operating with the State House Health Monitoring Unit to investigate the theft and sale of Ugandan government drugs in neighbouring South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I am yet to find out the logic (behind) why police arrested these journalists, who in my view were helping government to unearth the rot in the system,” said Opondo. “They should be released unconditionally.”

The BBC said it was in contact with the authorities over the case.

Uganda’s healthcare system is riddled with corruption and doctors and nurses frequently complain about shortages of basic supplies.

Opondo said police had told him the journalists were “intending to embarrass the government”. He said such a reason for their arrest would be “absurd.” |