Isaac Kintu, an NTV journalist, was briefly detained and compelled to delete footage he had taken at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital during an emergency response to a lightning strike that injured 12 inmates from Kirinya Prison in eastern Uganda.
The lightning strike occurred on Sunday when approximately 50 inmates had gathered under a tree in the men’s remand area for prayers. Emergency responders transported the injured inmates to the hospital, attracting media coverage, including that of Kintu.
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Local WhatsApp groups in the Busoga sub-region quickly spread news of the incident, causing concern among families of the affected inmates.
Kintu was detained for nearly two hours at the hospital’s police post, accused of unauthorized reporting. He has since refrained from commenting further, stating that he has escalated the matter to his supervisors for follow-up.
Emergency response teams, including the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) and private ambulance services, worked alongside prison staff and inmates to transport the injured to the hospital. The response was hindered by staffing shortages, as many hospital personnel had signed off early for the weekend.
A nurse, speaking anonymously, described the situation as overwhelming, with critically injured inmates requiring urgent care. Due to limited space, some patients were treated on the floor. The nurse also noted that three inmates needed X-rays, which were unavailable at Jinja Hospital, delaying their treatment plans.
Although the injured inmates are no longer in immediate danger, they require follow-up care to recover fully from the lightning strike.
Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine confirmed the incident and reassured the public that the inmates were receiving treatment and recovering well. He urged families to remain calm, emphasizing that the situation was under control.
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