Pictured in her wheelchair and hospital gown: Paralysed assistant to Amazing Race producer pleads guilty to drug charges in Uganda
- Kathryne Fuller, 29, charged with possession of cocaine
- Took drugs with producer Jeff Rice, who was found dead in a Kampala hotel on February 18
- Paid $420 fine to avoid imprisonment
- Paralysed down her right side and will go home to South Africa and seek medical treatment
- Police have arrested a cab driver who sold the pair the drugs
An assistant to an American television producer who died after taking contaminated cocaine in Uganda faced cameras for the first time since her arrest today.
Kathryne Fuller, 29, who remains paralysed on her right side, pleaded guilty to drug possession, paid a fine and was freed - wheeled out of the courthouse in her hospital gown by her father.
She was charged with possession of cocaine after taking drugs with producer Jeff Rice, who was found dead in a Kampala hotel on February 18.
Paralyzed: Kathryne Fuller, 29, leaves court with her father, Stewart Fuller, after pleading guilty to drug possession in Kampala on March 1
Going home: Miss Fuller, whose body is paralysed on the right side, will return to her native South Africa for medical treatment
Damage: Miss Fuller was found unconscious next to Rice's body on February 18, 2012 at the Serena hotel in Kampala
An official toxicology report confirmed the drug was in Mr Rice's blood, dispelling initial suspicions that the father-of-two known for his work on the U.S. show 'The Amazing Race' had been poisoned by attackers.
As the Daily Monitor reports, Miss Fuller, was brought to Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court in a wheelchair because her right side is paralysed.
In the presence of her father and lawyer, Paul Rutisya, she told the court: 'Yes your Worship, I plead guilt.'
'She was given the option of a fine of 1 million shillings ($420) or six months' imprisonment,' Mr Rutisya said. 'We (paid) the fine.'
Freed: Miss Fuller is assisted by her father, Steward Fuller, centre, and Brad Nathanson, a private South African investigator, as she departs the courthouse on Thursday
Wheeled out: Miss Fuller's lawyers had said she was being held unlawfully in Uganda since she had not been charged with a crime within the legal time limit
Aide: Miss Fuller's father, Stewart Fuller, pictured helping her into an ambulance, said he was happy to be taking his daughter home
Ready to go: Police have a 23-year-old Ugandan man in their custody whom they accuse of supplying the Miss Fuller and Mr Rice with cocaine
Ms Sylvia Nabaggala, the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, who presided over the case, told the Ugandan news outlet: 'This should be looked at as a second chance being given to the accused who is alive by the God’s chance.
'The accused could have lost her life and she should use this to reflect her life instead and not indulge in drugs.'
The South African woman was found unconscious in a hotel room at the same time that Mr Rice's body was discovered.
'I took cocaine and I passed out. I can't remember what happened after that. I woke up in the hospital,' Miss Fuller said.
Miss Fuller has been released by Ugandan authorities to go home to South Africa and seek medical treatment. She has been paralysed down her right side since taking the drug and was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair.
Witness: Miss Fuller was paralyzed on her right-hand side after taking contaminated cocaine with co-worker Jeff Rice, an American TV producer
Bad drugs: Jeff Rice, left, has produced episodes of 'The Amazing Race' and other shows for American TV. He was working on a film in Uganda when he and Miss Fuller, right, took cocaine laced with fatal additives
'I feel much better knowing that I'm free to go,' she said.
'I have to go to South Africa for them to figure out what is wrong, for them to do an MRI (scan) to figure out what exactly is not working and why it's not working.'
Miss Fuller's lawyers had said she was being held unlawfully in Uganda since she had not been charged with a crime within the legal time limit.
Her father, Stewart Fuller, said he was happy to be taking his daughter home. 'I think the fine was reasonable (and) I think she will remember this for a very long time,' he said.
Police have a 23-year-old Ugandan man in their custody whom they accuse of supplying the two with cocaine.
Moses Kalanzi was charged on Thursday with manslaughter and a negligent act causing death, as well as two drug-related offenses.
Family man: Mr Rice was the father of two small daughters, aged seven and two. He and his wife worked out of Durban, South Africa
Work: Rice helped producers on 'The Amazing Race', which follows teams as they travel around the world for a prize of $1 million. He worked on its latest season
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Daily Monitor reports Kalanzi was remanded to Luzira Prison, where he will remain until his next hearing on March 15.
Mr Fuller has been staying in the Ugandan capital of Kampala since Miss Fuller was discovered ill.
Mr Fuller said he was disappointed in his daughter for taking the drugs, but says she has already paid the price for her mistake.
Family: Miss Fuller's father Stewart Fuller has been staying in the Ugandan capital of Kampala since Miss Fuller was discovered ill
'I am cross, extremely cross. She’s an extremely bright woman who made a mistake,' he said in an earlier interview.
'After this, she’ll have to prove herself. We’ve been through hell, but which father wouldn’t rush to support his daughter?'
The case has alerted officials there to the possibility that Uganda is becoming a 'consumption destination,' a spot for adventurers and addicts to take illegal drugs with little risk of police detection.
Mr Rice, 39, who worked on the series 'The Amazing Race', was discovered slumped over a table bleeding from his nose and mouth at the Serena hotel in the capital, Kampala.
An official toxicology report confirmed the narcotic with a 'lethal additive' was in Mr Rice’s blood, dispelling initial suspicions he had been poisoned by attackers or that he had swallowed it to conceal the drugs from police.
Mugenyi, the Ugandan police spokesman, said: 'Rice… used cocaine which had lethal additives and that’s what killed him.'
Brad Nathanson, a private investigator and friend of Mr Rice, said he had been shown the toxicology report by police and there was no evidence of 'foul play' in Rice’s death.
He said: 'In fact it was as a result of buying bad drugs, cocaine to be specific … it was a bad concoction.'
'I have read the toxicology report… it shows that there were small traces of cocaine in their blood and urine.'
Mr Nathanson said he had traveled to Uganda as a favor to the Rice family following rumors he had been poisoned.
Miss Fuller was found unconscious at the same time Mr Rice’s body was discovered
Mr Rice and Miss Fuller were believed to have voluntarily consumed the drugs.
As well as the Amazing Race, Mr Rice also worked on Animal Planet's Whale Wars and the South African version of The Biggest Loser.
He is survived by daughters, ages two and seven.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2109073/Kathryn-Fuller-Pleads-guilty-drug-charges-Uganda.html#ixzz1nw7F8e2B
