Security operatives have arrested five people including Vivian Nakalika, wife to NBS TV journalist Solomon Serwanjja.
They are detained at Central Police Station, Kampala.
According to Human Rights Network for Journalists (HRNJ), police first raided Serwanja’s home on Wednesday night. However, he was not yet at home so they arrested his wife.
Nakalika works at the Ministry of Health.
The arrested journalists include Kassim Muhammed, Rashid Kaweesa and Godfrey Bandebye. Two of the arrested journalists work for BBC, a British public service broadcaster.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Patrick Onyango said the suspects were found with drugs belonging to the government of Uganda.
In a press statement dated February 7, Onyango revealed that three of the suspects were caught red handed in Makindye buying government labeled drugs including Lumefantine and Hepatitis B vaccine.
“Upon arrest and interrogation, they revealed that some of the drugs they had bought were hidden at Solomon Serwanjja’s home in Mukono District,” he said before adding, “We contacted Serwanjja to come and help us carry out the search as per our standards. He promised to come but we waited in vain.”
“Police detectives searched the home of Serwanjja in the presence of his wife, and other relatives.”
During search, Onyango stated that detectives found 14 boxes of Lumenfatine tablets, vaccines for Hepatitis B and other government drugs.
“Mrs Serwanjja has been brought to police to record a statement and detained. We are also looking for Mr. Serwanjja to help us investigate how government drugs ended up at his home.”
