James Akena being beaten by the UPDF soldiersBrigadier Richard Karemire, the ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs/UPDF spokesperson, issued a statement regretting the incident. Akena has now filed an application before the Civil Division of the High court through his lawyers of AF Mpanga seeking damages to the tune of Shs 100 million.

In his application, Akena says that he was beaten by soldiers on August 20, 2018 while on duty as a photojournalist. Akena alleges that at around 11 am one year ago, he was attracted by people going about their business around Kiseka Market at the intersections of Kyagwe Road/Nakivubi Road in Kampala as they were hiding and running for safety.  

He reportedly started taking pictures of the events including those where several UPDF and policemen were firing live rounds of ammunition in the air while dispersing a demonstration protesting the arrest of Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.

 
According to Akena, a group of soldiers descended on him and started battering him. He explains that the soldiers assaulted him, forcefully confiscated his camera and took Shs 3.9 million that he had in his pocket. 
 
“The plaintiff (Akena) was repeatedly struck on various parts of his body by the three men, arrested, rough bundled onto a truck which drove the plaintiff and others to Qualicel Bus Terminal while they continued to be assaulted physically and verbally,” reads the application.

He notes that he was taken to Kampala central police station cells for about five hours and was released following the intervention of Luke Owoyesigyire, the then Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson currently deputy spokesperson.

Akena explains that he reported a case of assault vide SD59/28/08/2018 and was referred to the police surgeon for medical examination. He however, says his matter has never been investigated since then.     

He wants court to grant him Shs 101 million in compensation for the damage caused to him. According to the breakdown, Akena wants Shs 3.9 million for lost cash, Shs 450,000 for his damaged Casio watch, Shs 800,000 for broken eyeglasses and Shs 1.2 million for a cracked Techno smartphone.

He also wants Shs 28 million ($7500) for loss of Canon Camera DX Black Body type, Shs 700,000 for medical treatment, Shs 600,000 for transport to and from hospitals, loss of earnings because of failure to work from the months of September 2018 to February 2019 valued at $2,900 per month – totaling to Shs 65 million.   

Akena’s file has been allocated to Justice Henrietta Wolayo who will fix it for hearing.Â