By Ben Musanje
The High Court in Kampala has awarded journalist Pidson Kareire Shs30 million in compensation after finding that state agents unlawfully detained, tortured and denied him access to lawyers, family members and medical care following his arrest over reports allegedly critical of former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.
In a landmark ruling delivered on May 20, 2026, Acting High Court Judge Simon Peter M. Kinobe held that Kareire’s constitutional rights were grossly violated by security operatives who arrested him in November 2021 and subjected him to severe physical and psychological abuse while in detention.
The court found that Kareire, a journalist working with Drone Media, was unlawfully detained for seven days without being produced before a court, contrary to the constitutional requirement that suspects be arraigned within 48 hours.
Judge Kinobe further ruled that the treatment Kareire suffered amounted to torture, a violation of Articles 24 and 44(a) of the Constitution, which prohibit cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
“The verbal and physical abuse as done by the agents of the first respondent in the course of duty is a contravention to the applicant’s freedom from torture, inhuman and degrading treatment,” the judge ruled.
The court ordered the Attorney General and police officer Ernest Mpora to jointly pay Kareire general damages of Shs30 million, in addition to meeting the costs of the suit.
Arrest Linked to Stories About Anita Among
According to evidence accepted by the court, Kareire was lured from his workplace near Hotel Equatorial in Kampala on November 4, 2021, after receiving a telephone call from a person who claimed to be a journalist seeking to discuss an urgent news assignment.
Upon arrival, he was allegedly seized by a group of armed men dressed in civilian clothes and forced into a Toyota Harrier. During the journey, he was beaten and interrogated about news reports that allegedly portrayed Anita Among, who was then Deputy Speaker of Parliament, as being involved in corruption and abuse of office.
Kareire told court that his captors repeatedly demanded to know who he worked for and why he was “spoiling the name” of the senior legislator.
He identified Assistant Superintendent of Police Ernest Mpora and another security operative, Aggrey Aruho, as key figures in the operation.
The journalist testified that he was initially taken to CID headquarters in Kibuli, where he faced further interrogation before being transferred to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka.
Horrific Torture Claims
The court heard disturbing allegations of torture that Kareire said occurred throughout his detention.
He testified that he was regularly transferred from Kireka to military facilities in Mbuya, where security operatives subjected him to brutal treatment aimed at forcing him to confess responsibility for the controversial reports.
According to his testimony, his face was repeatedly submerged in water until he struggled to breathe, while soldiers and police officers beat him, pierced parts of his body with metallic objects and forced him to perform exhausting frog jumps while naked.
Kareire further told court that despite informing his captors that he suffered from diabetes and ulcers, he was denied medication and access to his personal doctor.
Medical examinations conducted after his release reportedly confirmed injuries consistent with assault. Photographs taken when he first appeared before Buganda Road Court also showed fresh wounds on his body.
The journalist said the experience left him traumatized, with recurring nightmares, hallucinations and symptoms of depression that continue to affect his life years later.
State Denied Allegations
The Attorney General opposed the application through affidavits filed by police and military officials.
The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces denied ever arresting or detaining Kareire, insisting that no military records reflected his presence in any UPDF facility.
Police officers also rejected allegations of torture, maintaining that Kareire was lawfully arrested as part of investigations into offensive and defamatory publications.
Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police Dickson Bill Ndyamuhaki told court that Kareire had refused to record a statement without his lawyers and was subsequently detained at SIU Kireka, a gazetted detention facility.
Police further argued that the journalist was never hooded, tortured or transferred to military installations and that he received medical attention while in custody.
However, the court found the applicant’s account more credible and concluded that his rights had indeed been violated.
Strong Constitutional Message
In a strongly worded judgment, Justice Kinobe reflected on Uganda’s history of arbitrary arrests and torture under past governments and emphasized that the 1995 Constitution was deliberately designed to prevent a return to such abuses.
The judge observed that constitutional protections requiring access to lawyers, family members and medical personnel were intended to shield citizens from secret detention and mistreatment by security agencies.
“Article 23(5) stands as a constitutional bulwark against tyranny,” he stated, adding that the provision embodies the country’s commitment to liberty, transparency and accountability.
The court specifically found that denying Kareire access to his lawyers, relatives and personal doctor constituted a violation of his right to personal liberty.
Judge Kinobe also ruled that holding the journalist for seven days without producing him before a competent court violated Article 23(4) of the Constitution.
Laptop Claim Rejected
While the court agreed that Kareire’s fundamental rights had been violated, it declined to grant relief on one aspect of his claim.
The journalist had alleged that security operatives confiscated his laptop during the operation and never returned it, even after the criminal case against him was dismissed.
However, the judge ruled that insufficient evidence had been presented to prove the allegation and therefore declined to make any declaration regarding the property.
Despite that setback, the ruling represents a significant victory for press freedom advocates and human rights defenders who have long raised concerns about the treatment of journalists covering politically sensitive subjects.
The judgment reinforces constitutional safeguards against torture and unlawful detention while affirming the responsibility of state institutions to respect the rights and dignity of citizens, regardless of the allegations they face.
For Kareire, the Shs30 million award may not erase the scars of the ordeal, but the court’s decision offers formal recognition that the abuse he endured was unlawful and unconstitutional.
