Kanungu, Uganda: Grade one Magistrates court sitting in Kanungu district has fined Nelson Kagote Twinamatsiko, the manager of Kanungu FM shillings 200,000 after pleading guilty to assaulting Anita Tumuramye, a female radio presenter.
The incident occurred on January 26th, 2023 at the radio premises.
The radio belongs to Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister for Information Communication Technology and National Guidance, and Kinkiizi East Constituency Member of Parliament.
Prosecution told court that Twinamatsiko assaulted Tumuramye when she demanded for her commission on an advert for a school she brought to the radio station.
Tumuramye had secured the school advert on January 26, 2023, worth Shillings 200,000 that was paid in cash, and was entitled to a commission of Shillings 40000 in line with the station guidelines.
However, after recording the business, Twinamatsiko reportedly declined to release her commission. When she tried to inquire from Twinamatsiko about the commission he slapped her on the face and she started bleeding from the nose.
Twinamatsiko continued to drag Tumuramye to the ground.
He was later arrested and paraded before the court on February 2nd, 2023, and was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm contrary to 236 of The Penal Code Act.
Asked to take a plea he pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded.
But re-appearing before the same court yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, Twinamatsiko made a U-turn and pleaded guilty to the charges.
In his ruling, his worship Asanansio Mukobi, the Kanungu grade one magistrate ordered Twinamatsiko to pay shillings 200,000 as a fine or serve eight months’ sentence in prison.
Twinamatsiko opted to pay the fine.
Mukobi also advised that since the two are workmates, they can reconcile.
Tumuramye later told our reporter that she has no personal vendetta against Twinamatsiko, and has no problem with reconciliation.
By Press time, a group of Twinamatsiko’s friends led by Godfrey Karabenda, Kanungu District National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Chairman were seen processing to pay the fine before Twinamatsiko could get released.