David Ssengozi, 21, alias Lucky Choice, and Isaiah Ssekagiri, 28, were arraigned in court on Monday, November 11, 2024. Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis directed that the suspects be detained at Kigo Prison pending their next court appearance on Wednesday.
Police accuse the young men of hate speech and spreading malicious information against the first family and musicians linked to the governing National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The duo denied the charges on Monday.
The prosecution alleges that the suspects committed the offences with 19-year-old Julius Tayebwa, who had previously been brought before court and remanded.
According to the prosecution, the suspects posted information on TikTok intended to "ridicule, degrade, demean, and promote hostility' against the first family and others.
The latest arrests come barely two months after police spokesman Rusoke Kituuma warned that insulting the president, whom he termed the "fountain of honour," was an offence.
Kituuma issued the warning while commenting on an investigation into a TikToker known as Lucky Choice, who was accused of similar offences, arrested, and later released.
In July, a 24-year-old man was sentenced to six years in prison for insulting the first family through a TikTok video.
Edward Awebwa was charged with hate speech and spreading "misleading and malicious" information against Museveni, First Lady Janet, and Muhoozi, who is the head of the Ugandan army.
Though Awebwa pleaded guilty and asked for forgiveness, the presiding magistrate noted he did not appear remorseful and that the language used in the video was "really vulgar."
Magistrate Amabilis ruled, "The accused deserves a punishment that will enable him to learn from his past so that next time he will respect the president, the first lady, and the first son."
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/two-ugandans-detained-for-insulting-president-museveni-on-tiktok
