A Bukedde Television journalist was on Saturday rescued from three angry teachers who almost beat him up as he tried to investigate a school fire outbreak in Mpigi district, according to HRNJ-Uganda.
The journalist identified as Andrew Mugonza is reported to have been filming the Director of Lowell Girl’s School on Saturday night following a fire outbreak at the school.
He was then confronted by a school teacher who didn’t want the fire outbreak to be reported about. The teacher allegedly started fighting with Mugonza and in the process damaged the camera lens of video equipment.
Mugonza narrated the incident to a representative at Human Rights Network For Journalists – Uganda, an organisation that defends and promotes the freedom of expression, information and media freedom.
“A teacher who was seated next to the director confronted me as I was recoding, then he ordered me to stop. He tried to grab my camera, when I resisted, he wrestled me down and we fell into the students. He was joined by two male teachers, but the police acted in time to rescue me. My camera lens was damaged in the scuffle which lasted about two minutes,” narrated Mugonza.
URNJ said Mugonza is yet to open up a complaint against the teachers who blocked him.
The human rights organisation has also called upon the police to investigate the conduct of the said teachers and take appropriate measures.