Thursday, 28 June 2012
Monday, 18 June 2012
Court to hear UBC, Besigye case today
SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 18 JUNE 2012
IN SUMMARY
The FDC leader wants court to grant him alternative means of summoning the station’s former boss.
Kampala
The High Court in Kampala is today expected to hear an application filed by FDC leader seeking its intervention on how to alternatively serve summons on Edward Musinguzi Mugasa, former managing director Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), who has remained untraceable for the past two months.
This application arises from an earlier suit filed by Dr Kizza Besigye against UBC and Mr Musinguzi over allegations that he was discriminated against when his 2011 campaign messages were not run yet UBC had been paid Shs21m for the airtime.
Missing in action
The application is expected to be heard by the Assistant Court registrar Eudes Keiterima at 11am.
According to Mr Ernest Kalibala, one of Besigye’s lawyers who spoke to this newspaper last evening, they have failed to locate Mr Musinguzi to have him served with court summons as the law requires.
He said the purpose of today’s application is to seek court’s permission to have Mr Musinguzi served with court summons using alternative means like the media or court notice board.
The application is expected to be heard by the Assistant Court registrar Eudes Keiterima at 11am.
According to Mr Ernest Kalibala, one of Besigye’s lawyers who spoke to this newspaper last evening, they have failed to locate Mr Musinguzi to have him served with court summons as the law requires.
He said the purpose of today’s application is to seek court’s permission to have Mr Musinguzi served with court summons using alternative means like the media or court notice board.
The law allows for serving court summons through alternative means if the whereabouts of a respondent are unknown.
UBC, which is the first respondent in this case, has already been served with the court summons to which it replied, denying that it owed any money to Dr Besigye. Mr Musinguzi was sued for purportedly being directly responsible for the actions of the national broadcaster at the time of elections.
In his main suit filed in April this year, Dr Besigye, who led the biggest opposition group against President Museveni and his party, says he was illegally discriminated against on the basis of his political opinion.
He said campaign messages of other presidential candidates were broadcast while his were left out.
Dr Besigye is seeking recovery of more than Shs21 million for at least 200 airtime spots, which he says was paid to UBC through his agent, Big Ideas. He is also seeking interest of 30 per cent on the payment to be calculated from December 2010 untill full payment is made.
Dr Besigye is seeking recovery of more than Shs21 million for at least 200 airtime spots, which he says was paid to UBC through his agent, Big Ideas. He is also seeking interest of 30 per cent on the payment to be calculated from December 2010 untill full payment is made.
The opposition leader is also seeking court orders warning UBC not to violate people’s rights again by not granting them equal access to State-owned media during forthcoming presidential elections.
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