Ugandan journalist Pidson Kareire's lawyer says the journalist was tortured in detention and needs medical attention.
This statement was originally published on hrnjuganda.org on 11 November 2021.
The court at Buganda Road has remanded Pidson Kareire, a journalist attached to the online publication Drone Media, to Kitalya prison until 19 November 2021.
Gladys Kamasanyu, the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, declined to hear the bail application as prayed by Pidson’s defence lawyer Andrew Mumpenje.
Mumpenje told the court that while under detention, Pidson was subjected to torture and needed urgent medical attention.
The Magistrate however directed prison authorities to conduct a medical examination upon the accused person and thereafter provide a medical report to the court.
Pidson, who appeared with Bigirwa Moses, a NUP coordinator, pleaded not guilty to the charges of offensive communication and criminal libel.
The Prosecution led by Peter Mugisha alleges that Bigirwa Moses and Pidson Kareire in November 2021 willfully and repeatedly used electronic communication on WhatsApp to post content offensive in nature, titled inter alia Museveni to remove Deputy speaker Anita Among over corruption.
The prosecution further alleges that Pidson Kareire and Bigirwa Moses, using WhatsApp, unlawfully published defamatory matters concerning Deputy Speaker Anita Among over corruption.
