Kampala, Uganda
The High Court has ordered journalist and TV10 Gano Mazima proprietor Dean Lubowa Saava to pay Shs100 million in damages to Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe over defamatory corruption allegations published on TikTok.
The ruling stems from Civil Suit No. 289 of 2025, in which Muhairwe sued Saava for allegedly publishing false claims accusing her of involvement in corruption.
In a judgment delivered by the High Court Civil Division found that the allegations made by the defendant on TikTok claiming that the Deputy IGG had taken Shs200 million were false, defamatory, and damaging to her reputation.
The court entered judgment in favour of the plaintiff, ordering the defendant to pay Shs100 million in general damages, issue a public apology on his TikTok platform, bear costs of the suit plus interest and comply with a permanent injunction restraining further defamatory publications
The plaintiff in the case is Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, who serves as a senior official within Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government.
The defendant is journalist Dean Lubowa Saava, who runs TV10 Gano Mazima, a media platform active on social media, including TikTok.
Court documents show the dispute arose from a series of TikTok videos in which Saava allegedly made corruption-related claims against the Deputy IGG. The court found that these claims were not substantiated and amounted to defamation.
Defamation cases involving public officials and online platforms have been increasing in Uganda as more journalism and commentary shifts to social media.
The court emphasized the importance of balancing freedom of expression with the legal duty to avoid publishing false statements that harm an individual’s reputation.
According to the judgment published on the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII), the court granted damages and injunctive relief, reinforcing that false allegations published online can attract significant legal and financial consequences.
It remains unclear whether the defendant will appeal the ruling. The court has not issued any further directives beyond the judgment and remedies granted.
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