Combo: Businessman Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum (L), and journalist Richard Wanambwa (R). Photos | Courtesy
A case before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court has raised queries about whether a $60,000 (Shs219m) payout to a journalist was hush money to protect the image of the refinery investor, Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, and his local associates, or it was extortion.
Mr Richard Wanambwa, the co-editor of the online news website Eagleonline, was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Directorate on December 11 last year, reportedly on the orders of State House. He was arrested along Wampewo Avenue, where he was directed to pick a payment of Shs3m as part of his monthly retainer fee to protect the image of Sheikh Maktoum.
He was arraigned before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on December 13 and charged with three counts of demanding property by written threats and demanding property with menace, contrary to sections of the Penal Code Act.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Wanambwa, 41, and others still at large between July and September 2024, within Kampala with threats to publish malicious information about one Abubaker Mukasa Munugu received $50,000 (Shs182m) and $30,000 (Shs109m) separately from one Alex Kibandama with intent to steal, and another Shs72m from one Fisher Kasule.
Mr Mukasa is said to be the local associate of Sheikh Maktoum. In a statement on “misinformation against Lt Gen Nalweyiso and Abu Mukasa” published last year in October, President Museveni defended him as having attracted billions of dollars of investments to Uganda, including the refinery investor.
“That seems to be his offence to the foreign and local parasites that would like Uganda’s economy to remain stunted as long as they benefit individually,” Mr Museveni wrote, adding that he first met Mr Mukasa many years ago in Washington in the US. The same Abu Mukasa, the President revealed, brokered Vitol Bahrain EC, which entered into a joint venture with the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) to source and supply the petroleum products in the country.
Journalist’s woes
Mr Wanambwa was remanded to Luzira prison until December 18 for bail application but court did not sit until this year. On January 8, when Mr Wanambwa was scheduled to appear, his production warrant was not issued. On January 22, his lawyer, Mr Julius Galisong applied for bail, which presiding magistrate Christine Nantege set January 29 for a hearing.
However, on January 29, the prosecution objected to the granting of bail on, among others, lack of substantive sureties and that the accused was a flight risk. It also emerged that the charge sheet had been expanded to 10 counts, including hate speech, spreading of malicious information and libel in contravention of the Computer Misuse Act and Penal Code, respectively.
Combo: Alex Kibandama and Abu Mukasa. Photos/ Courtesy
According to the amended charge sheet, it is alleged that Mr Wanambwa and others still at large wrote and shared information that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum Juma A-Maktoum “is a masquerader of the Dubai Royal family which information is likely to ridicule or degrade or demean” him.
Pending the ruling on the bail application before Ms Nantege last week on Wednesday, the prosecution filed three additional charges of hate speech, spreading malicious information and libel against Mr Wanambwa before the Nakawa Grade One Magistrate.
According to the new charge sheet, Mr Wanambwa and others still at large wrote or sent or shared information that one Abubaker Mukasa Munungu was offered a $20m (Shs73b) bribe, which information is likely to ridicule or degrade him.
The matter was deferred to February 11 for further hearing. During the previous court sittings at Nakawa, armed gunmen lurked in the background to re-arrest him in case he was granted bail, which raised concern about the in volvement of powerful shadowy actors in the background.
However, Mr Wanambwa’s lawyer, Mr Galisonga argues that the accused was duly hired through law firm Ortus Advocates to offer media consultancy services to contain any negative feedback or issues to be addressed in real time. According to a copy of the agreement, Ortus Advocates was “desirous of protecting the image of” both Mr Mukasa and Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum Juma Al-Maktoum. Sheikh Mohammed Maktoum Juma Al-Maktoum is the chairman of United Arab Emirates’ Alpha MBM Investments LLC which the Ministry of Energy handpicked in December 2023 for negotiations to design, finance and construct the proposed oil refinery.
In turn, according to the agreement, Mr Wanambwa and his partner would be remunerated with $60,000 (Shs219m) paid in two instalments at the execution of the deed and by the end of October.
Mr Wanambwa’s family told this newspaper that several emissaries have been dispatched to them and him inside prison, listing several demands, including signing a written apology and retracting the published stories online, as a precondition to get bail. It remains unclear on whose behalf the emissaries are acting.
