Buganda Road Grade One magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu has sentenced former Old Kampala DPC Jorum Mwesigye to a fine of 1 million shillings and compensation of 5 million shillings to Andrew Lwanga, a WBS journalist who he was found guilty of assaulting.
State prosecutor Patricia Kintho in her submission pointed out that the DPC despite being with no previous criminal record; basing on the serious body harm that he caused to Lwanga deserved a custodial sentence to deter other officers from breaking the laws which they are meant to protect.
On his part, Lwanga who was being supported by clutches asked court to punish the convict accordingly as his actions caused him permanent bodily damage and killed his career.
The defense counsel Obed Mwebesa on the other hand asked court to grant his client a lenient non custodial sentence because he is a first offender who throughout the trial process exhibited willingness to settle the matter outside court.
Mwebesa added that Mwesigye apologized to the victim after the incident as the commander of the operation where Lwanga got the problem.
In her sentence, the magistrate was unhappy that a person like Joram Mwesigye, a DPC whose role was to protect people turned against Lwanga, a journalist who was also executing his duties.
VICTIM: Andrew Lwanga was unhappy with the sentence
“There is need to give a punishment to deter other officers from engaging in the same acts,” she said. “Nonetheless, basing on his confession, the convict proved to court that he sought negotiations on the matter but didn’t get a chance, which shows that he has learnt from his past.”
The magistrate thus handed out to the convict a Shs 1million fine, which she said was moderate considering that he has already been suspended from Police and hasn’t been earning. On top of this she added Shs 5million that should be paid to the victim Lwanga to meet his medical bills. This is to be paid in 30 days.
Some of the journalists at court however, were dissatisfied with the fine which they said is a drop in the ocean of bills that Lwanga has so far incurred.
The complainant himself was equally disappointed by the sentence and vowed to push the matter further.