The Continent journalist arrested for sexual abuse investigations at King’s College
Andrew Arinaitwe was investigating allegations of abuse at one of Uganda’s most prestigious schools, King’s College Budo. As you read this, Ugandan journalist and regular The Continent correspondent Andrew Arinaitwe is in jail.
Arinaitwe was commissioned by The Continent to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at Ugandan boarding schools, including King’s College Budo, an elite institution just outside of Kampala.
On Sunday, he visited the school’s campus in an attempt to obtain comment from the head teacher, John Fred Kazibwe. Instead of responding to Arinaitwe’s queries, Kazibwe called the police and accused him of trespassing. He was detained at a police post on the school premises overnight and ordered to report to the police on Thursday.
On Thursday, in the presence of The Continent’s news editor Lydia Namubiru and two legal representatives, Arinaitwe was charged with “criminal trespass” with prosecutors saying that he had entered the school “with intent to commit theft”.
He was remanded in prison until a hearing on Tuesday 14 March.
In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists said: “Arinaitwe’s only crime was trying to pursue a story of crucial public interest – allegations of sexual abuse in schools. He should be freed unconditionally … His imprisonment raises questions about what truths are being swept under the carpet.”
Chapter Four Uganda, a Kampala-based civil society organization, said: “This is an obvious abuse of the court process to harass a journalist for doing his work.”
The Continent will publish Arinaitwe’s investigation, should he choose to pursue it after his incarceration.
At least one Ugandan journalist has offered to continue his work, should his unjust detention go on for longer.
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