The High Court has ordered journalist and social media commentator Dean Lubowa Saava, proprietor of TV10 Gano Mazima, to pay Shs100 million in damages to Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe for defamation arising from allegations of corruption published on TikTok.
In a judgment delivered on June 24, 2026, Justice Joyce Kavuma found that Lubowa published false and damaging statements accusing Twinomugisha of corruption and misconduct, which the court said were intended to injure her reputation.
“The plaintiff’s evidence clearly shows that the statements published by the defendant were defamatory in nature and intended at causing injury to the reputation of the plaintiff, the Deputy Inspector General of Government,” Justice Kavuma held.
The court heard that the suit stemmed from a series of TikTok videos published in July 2025 on Lubowa’s platform, TV10 Gano Mazima, in which he alleged that Twinomugisha had received Shs200 million in bribes connected to the Kaabong road project.
He further claimed that she had solicited money from engineers working on the project and allegedly sent an aide to collect the funds on her behalf. Lubowa also accused her of misappropriating funds meant for wetland restoration and questioned her integrity in fighting corruption.
Twinomugisha denied all allegations, telling court that she had never received any money from engineers, had never been involved in any such transactions, and had never visited Kaabong District.
Her testimony was supported by Ombudsman Affairs Director Kakooza Savio Ntensibe, who was named in Lubowa’s broadcasts as her aide. Ntensibe told court that he was not the Deputy IGG’s personal assistant and had no involvement in the alleged dealings.
Court records further showed that Lubowa did not enter appearance or file a defence despite being duly served with court documents, leading the case to proceed ex parte.
Justice Kavuma also noted that Lubowa had previously admitted, through a criminal plea bargain, that the information he published about the Deputy IGG was false.
“The defendant, in making these claims, directly and indirectly insinuated without proof that the Deputy Inspector General of Government is part and parcel of the corruption she is mandated to eliminate,” the judge observed.
The court found that Lubowa continued to publish the allegations despite warnings from Twinomugisha to desist, describing his conduct as malicious and reckless.
While the plaintiff had sought Shs300 million in exemplary damages, the court declined to award it, finding no evidence that Lubowa had financially benefited from the publications.
However, Justice Kavuma awarded Shs100 million in general damages, citing the seriousness of the allegations, their wide circulation on a TikTok platform with over 300,000 followers, and the defendant’s failure to defend himself in court or issue an apology.
The court also issued a permanent injunction restraining Lubowa and his agents from publishing further defamatory statements against Twinomugisha. He was further ordered to issue a public apology on the same TikTok platform where the statements were originally made.
Lubowa was ordered to pay the costs of the suit together with interest until full payment is made.
