Amin ‘hits the roof’ over lawsuit

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 9

Amin ‘hits the roof’ over lawsuit

NZPA-Reuter Nairobi President Idi Amin, of Uganda, became very angry when he learned that the Ugandan leader he deposed, Milton Obote, had gone to London to seek libel damages from an elderly British woman author, his adviser, Major Bob Astles, has said. The British-born Major Astles, speaking to reporters by phone from the presidential residence at Cape Town| View on Lake Victoria, said that Field-Marshal Amin “hit the roof” when he heard the news at breakfast on TuesMajor Astles added that the Ugandan government would take a strong stand in support of the author, Judith. Countess of Listowel, and that President Amin might even go to the Lon-

Dr Obote’s lawyers told : the court when the case j opened that Lady Listowel, in a book published in 1973, had accused the former president of having used despotic, violent, and corrupt means to stay in power. Dr Obote was overthrown by President Amin in 1971 and has since lived in exile 1 in neighbouring Tanzania. His appearance in court was • his first in public outside Tanzania since his ouster from Kampala, Lady Listowel. who is 73, ' has admitted libel in her l;188-page book entitled ; | “Amin,” a biography of the .President. .1 Major Astles said: “The [President is very angry. There’s no predicting what t [he might do.” i[ Major Astles said that Amin considered , [ all politicians were obliged; il to accept criticism and! -i should not sue women ini Itheir 70s who had few pos- 1

sessions and had done much good for Africa. “What sort of British law is this that allows foreigners to go and take British people’s money,” President Amin asked, according to Major Astles. Lady Listowel apologised in the High Court on Tuesday for libelling Dr Obote, and two of his former aides. She told the court she had written a “quickie history” of President Amin in only six weeks. Normally, she took up to three years to complete a book. “I was under great pressure, working 16 to 18 hours a day, and because I worked at such pressure I could not check the facts,” she said. “I was offered a good fee and needed the money.” Dr Obote. his former Planning Minister, Akbar Nek- ! yon, and a senior civil servant and former Ugandan I Law Society president, ijAkena Adoko, have all sued ■ 'Lady Listowel.