Radio Ankole Journalist Arinaitwe Emmanuel Kajungu has been hospitalized after being badly beaten by joint security forces that were enforcing the curfew directives.
The assault happened on Wednesday evening along Tindibakira road at 9:20pm in Ntungamo town.
Arinaitwe who is also an English news anchor was brutally hit with a baton and wires on shoulders and legs. He was rushed to Amazing Grace health facility Ntungamo for treatment. He sustained injuries on legs and chin.
It is alleged that the police beat the journalist when he was reaching at his rental place in Ntungamo town at 9:20 Pm from Radio Ankole. He tried to explain to the officers but they could not listen to him.
Arinaitwe noted that he was from work, had employment ID and other relevant documents but was surprised to be brutalized by men in uniform yet the President cleared the media as essential workers and can move freely while following the Standard operating procedures during the current Covid-19 lockdown.
The National Association of Broadcasters member (NAB) and general manager Radio Ankole veteran Elliott Kabangira Magande condemned the act noting that police should work with media to enforce the presidential direction to curb the pandemic.
This is not the first time security operatives are beating up journalists in the name of enforcing Covid-19 directives. Recently, Rumanzi Perez, a Nation Media Group Journalist was hospitalized after being beaten by security forces.
Another radio Ankole presenter Kinyarwanda Able Kanyamibwa was also handcuffed by police after they found him on high street rushing home recently.
The acting DPC Ntungamo Geoffrey Oroch confirmed the incident but he could not divulge the details since investigations are ongoing.
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