The Civil Division of the High Court has ordered journalist Dean Lubowa Saava, to pay UGX 100 million in general damages over making false and defamatory posts, about the Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, through his Tik Tok account TV10 GANO MAZIMA.
In a judgment dated June 24th 2026, Justice Joyce Kavuma ruled that statements published by Lubowa falsely portrayed Muhairwe as corrupt, dishonest, and unfit to hold public office, damaging her reputation and exposing her to public ridicule.
“A declaration that the statements published by the defendant (Lubowa) on his TV10 GANO MAZIMA TikTok page against the plaintiff (Muhairwe), were false and defamatory………….. An award of general damages in the sum of UGX. 100,000,000/= to the plaintiff” Justice kavuma ruled.
According to court documents, around July 2025 while on his Tik Tok platform Lubowa intentionally, falsely and recklessly made several defamatory statements against Muhairwe, alluding that she is corrupt and not a fit and proper person to occupy any public office.
In one of the videos, Lubowa alleged that Muhairwe had received UGX 200 million from engineers of the Kaboong road project, in Kaboong district.
In her petition, Muhairwe denied the allegations, describing them as malicious, and intended to lower her reputation in the eyes of the right thinking members of society, resultantly causing irreparable injury to her Muhairwe’s reputation.
During hearing of the case, the suit proceeded largely uncontested after Lubowa neither filed a defence nor entered appearance despite being served with court documents, leading to the hearing consequently proceeding ex parte.
After reviewing the evidence, including the videos uploaded to ECCMIS, the Justice Kavuma found that the publications were meant to injure Muhairwe’s reputation and awarded costs of the suit, plus interest on the damages from the date of judgment until full payment.
However he declined to fine exemplary charged for Lubowa as requested for by the Deputy IGG.
Justice Kavuma also issued a permanent injunction restraining Saava from making any further defamatory statements against Ms Muhairwe and further him to issue a public apology on his TV10 Gano Mazima platform where the allegations were published.
“…….An award of general damages in the sum of UGX. 100 million to the plaintiff. Costs of the suit, and interest on above at Court rate from the date of judgment until payment in full” Justice Kavuma ruled.
