School sued over battering journalist 

Our Reporter

 A journalist has dragged St. Augustine College School, in Wakiso district demanding Shs80 million in compensation after allegedly assaulting him in the course of his duty.

Mr William Mutyaba, a journalist employed by Vision Group’s Bukedde television, in his court documents filed before the High Court in Kampala sued the school and one of its teachers Mr Akena Kennedy whom he accuses of ordering students to beat him.

He says that on July 27, 2018, while at his residence at Kayunga adjacent the school, he was called that there was a fire outbreak which he first ignored until another person confirmed that indeed fire had gutted one of the dormitories of the first defendant (St. Augustine College School).

“I grabbed my camera, boarded a motorcycle and proceeded to the school to cover the fire break out and upon reaching the school gate I found it unmanned and I opened it where I found the second defendant (Mr Akena) together with the other people rushing inside to see what was going on,” Mr Mutyaba narrates in the court documents.

“There was a lot of chaos at the scene as students were trying to extinguish the fire to save their properties from being destroyed. Upon reaching the dormitory, I started recording with my camera,” he further narrates.

He goes on to state that Mr Akena upon learning that he was recording the fire incident, he rebuked him for previously airing a story about the previous fire outbreak at the school thus calling upon the students to beat him. They did not respond immediately because they were preoccupied with rescuing their property.

“After hearing Mr Akena’s utterances, I sensed danger, picked up my camera and started to flee the scene. However for the second time he(Akena) emphatically commanded the students to beat me up and alleged that I was the one who started the fire. I ran towards the gate but students continued to chase me,” reads in part court documents.

Mr Mutyaba goes on to say that Mr Akena ordered the gatekeeper to lock the gate so that I could not exit the premises and this is when the students pounced on him slapping, hitting, punching and kicking him several times on different parts of the body.

He further states that he has experienced pain, suffering and humiliation attributable to the respondents for assaulting him, confiscating his camera, national identity card and other personal belongings.

Through his lawyers of Walyemera & Company Advocates, Mr Mutyaba wants a declaration that the school is vicariously liable for the irresponsible, wanton and illegal actions meted by Mr Akena while in the course of his employment as a teacher and that the school should be consequently liable to compensate him Shs80 million.

He also wants a declaration that the cruel, unlawful and vicious acts of Mr Aken slapping, hitting, humiliating and assaulting him as well as inciting students to assault him while in his line of duty infringed and violated his rights.