BBC journalists arrested in Uganda

Police arrested a team of the BBC journalists in Uganda for illegal possession of prescription drugs, but the country’s government spokesman said the reporters had been helping to expose corruption, and demanded their immediate release.

Patrick Onyango, the police spokesman, said five suspects had been detained overnight. They included two Ugandans and one Kenyan, the wife of a local journalist from NBS Television who was working with them, and a driver.

Patrick Onyango: Traditionally, we believe a home belongs to the husband, so it is the husband (Mr Serwanjja) to come and explain to us how the drugs ended up at his home. #NBSUpdates pic.twitter.com/XrGwWbZElG

— NBS Television (@nbstv) February 7, 2019

Fourteen boxes of tablets had been seized, along with other vaccines.

Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo said the journalists had been cooperating with the State House Health Monitoring Unit to investigate the theft and sale of Ugandan government drugs in South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I am yet to find out the logic why police arrested these journalists, who in my view were helping government to unearth the rot which is in the system,” said Opondo. “They should be released unconditionally.”

BBC journalists arrested in Uganda https://t.co/WtQ98j53GM pic.twitter.com/gS2E6mifV6

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) February 7, 2019

The BBC confirmed it was in contact with the authorities over the case.

The arrest of the BBC team in Kampala is a blatant attempt to suppress investigative journalism and a sign of the extremes to which #Uganda is willing to go to make sure that critical stories don't hit the airwaves. https://t.co/ijFo8HPysS

— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) February 7, 2019

AMENDED: 8/02/2019

Uganda police frees BBC journalists arrested over possession of drugs.