The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has today withdrawn charges in which Red Pepper editors and directors were charged with libel, computer misuse and publication of content that is prejudicial to national security against Redpepper directors and editors.
Government prosecutor based at Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) Abdulslam Waiswa tendered in a letter to Buganda Road court judge His Worship Samuel Kagoda withdrawing all charges against the tabloid bosses.
Waiswa informed his worship Samuel Kagoda that both parties (State and Redpepper) have reached an understanding and agreed to withdraw the computer misuse related charges.
It should be remembered that at the beginning of this year, Redpepper directors met president Yoweri Museveni and apologised to him for disturbing his peace.
Museveni pardon them and allowed them to re-open and resume publication.
The publication bosses are still crying for some of their company equipment that Uganda police and other security agencies maliciously damaged and took. The company is now in dire financial hardship.
Where it all Begun
On November 21, 2017, police raided the tabloid’s offices in Namanve, along Jinja Road and arrested the five directors and three editors over a story published in The Red Pepper issue of November 20 indicating that President Yoweri Museveni was plotting to overthrow his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame.
They were arraigned before Buganda Road on November 27, 2017, remanded to Luzira Prisons after a week in detention at Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja and granted bail after a month in detention.
