By Otim Nape
Led by Dr. Abdul Salaam Waiswa who serves as the Commission’s Head Legal Affairs, prosecutors from UCC have consistently indicated to both Court and the accused person that they long concluded their investigations and are prepared to lead all their witnesses to enable journalist Dean Lubowa Saava begin his defense. All this is aimed at ensuring that his speedy trial-related rights aren’t violated.
For the last two months, the online TV10 broadcaster and proprietor has been remanded in Luzira following his arrest during the month of September.
His broadcasting equipment for TV10 was confiscated and taken away as exhibits, while he personally got charged with offences relating to installation of broadcasting equipment and going on to conduct broadcasting business without obtaining the requisite licensing and authorization from UCC which, by law, is mandated to regulate and license such media operations.
He also faces the charge of willful disobedience to lawful orders and this derives from the fact that he allegedly continued his online TV broadcasting operations even after the Commission wrote to him ordering him to immediately cease until the mandatory license had been obtained.
The accused person denies all these charges and claims that he is merely being targeted for persecution in order to cow the entire online broadcasting fraternity into silence and total oblivion.
He had applied for bail but which the trial Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu disallowed on grounds that the sureties he brought to Court weren’t substantial enough to enforce his attendance to subsequent court sessions.
A substantial surety should be someone court considers to be in position to have the necessary means to compel the accused person to come to Court whenever required to. The other cause for refusal of bail related to the fact that the accused person’s place of abode wasn’t adequately disclosed and illustrated to the satisfaction of Court.
The UCC prosecutors have now indicated readiness to expeditiously prosecute the case so that the accused person doesn’t get his liberty deprived by way of being subjected to an endless trial. “We are ready to lay out our case and lead all our witnesses in the shortest time possible because investigations were completed long time ago and all we need is being given the platform by Court to make our case in the shortest time possible so that the matter is concluded,” one of the UCC lawyers explained to reporters on Tuesday when Dean Lubowa Saava’s trial was supposed to proceed.
The prosecution team, which remains open to a plea-bargaining deal should the accused person choose that path, had come prepared to lead their second witness adding onto what the Commission’s licensing officer, Joseph Matsiko, had submitted earlier on as their very first witness. Dr. Waiswa says speedy trial is a right which they are determined to make sure that Dean Lubowa Saava isn’t deprived of. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
