Big Story! Court Orders Youtuber, TikToker Dean Lubowa To Pay Ugx100 Million For Defaming Deputy IGG

By Swift Reporter

The High Court has ordered youtube and TikTok content creator Dean Lubowa Saava, proprietor of the popular social media platform TV10 Gano Mazima, to pay Shs100 million in general damages for defaming Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe through a series of corruption allegations published on TikTok.

In a judgment delivered on June 24, 2026, Justice Joyce Kavuma ruled that the allegations made by Lubowa were false, defamatory, and intended to damage the reputation of the Deputy IGG, a senior public official charged with combating corruption in Uganda.

The court further issued a permanent injunction restraining Lubowa, his agents, and associates from publishing any further defamatory statements against Twinomugisha. He was also ordered to issue a public apology on the same TikTok platform where the impugned statements were disseminated.

Background Of The Case

The lawsuit stemmed from a series of videos posted on Lubowa’s TikTok account, TV10 Gano Mazima, around July 2025. In the broadcasts, he accused Twinomugisha of engaging in corruption and misconduct, including claims that she had received Shs200 million in bribes linked to a road construction project in Kaabong District.

Lubowa alleged that the Deputy IGG had solicited money from engineers involved in the project and had dispatched an aide to collect the funds on her behalf. He further accused her of misappropriating money intended for wetlands conservation and portrayed her as unfit to hold public office.

Twinomugisha rejected the allegations, describing them as baseless, malicious, and deliberately designed to tarnish her professional standing. She maintained that she had never received money from any engineers, had no involvement in the alleged transactions, and had never visited Kaabong District.

The Deputy IGG’s case was supported by Ombudsman Affairs Director Kakooza Savio Ntensibe, whom Lubowa had identified in his broadcasts as Twinomugisha’s personal assistant.

Ntensibe testified that he was neither her aide nor involved in collecting money on her behalf. He denied any connection to the allegations raised in the TikTok videos and dismissed the claims as entirely false.

The court also reviewed the videos that had been uploaded to the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) as evidence.

Justice Kavuma found that the publications directly accused Twinomugisha of corruption without any supporting proof and were intended to portray her as part of the very vice she is mandated to investigate and eliminate.

“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,” the judge ruled.

Court records show that Lubowa was duly served with the lawsuit but neither entered an appearance nor filed a defence. As a result, the matter proceeded ex parte.

The judge noted that despite being given an opportunity to challenge the claims or present evidence in his defence, Lubowa failed to participate in the proceedings.

Justice Kavuma further observed that Lubowa had previously admitted, through a criminal plea bargain, that information he had published about the Deputy IGG was false.

According to the court, the continued publication of the allegations, even after Twinomugisha warned him to stop, demonstrated recklessness and malice.

“The continued publishing of the said defamatory statements shows the desire and intent by the defendant to cause pain to the plaintiff,” Justice Kavuma stated.

Court Awards Damages

In determining the appropriate remedy, the court considered the seriousness of the allegations and the potential impact on Twinomugisha’s reputation as a senior public official.

Justice Kavuma noted that the TikTok platform used by Lubowa had a following of more than 300,000 people, significantly amplifying the reach and potential harm caused by the publications.

While Twinomugisha had sought Shs300 million in exemplary damages, the court declined to grant the request after finding no evidence that Lubowa had financially benefited from the defamatory content.

However, the judge awarded Shs100 million in general damages, citing the gravity of the accusations, their widespread circulation, and Lubowa’s failure to apologise or defend the claims before court.

Beyond the monetary award, the court issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Lubowa and anyone acting on his behalf from making or publishing further defamatory statements against Twinomugisha.

He was also directed to publish a public apology on the TV10 Gano Mazima TikTok account, the same platform where the defamatory statements were originally disseminated.

Additionally, the court ordered Lubowa to bear the costs of the suit and pay interest on the Shs100 million award from the date of judgment until the amount is fully settled.

The judgment highlights the growing legal scrutiny of content published on social media platforms and reinforces the principle that online publishers can be held accountable for defamatory statements made against individuals.

The ruling also underscores the responsibility of digital content creators and commentators to verify allegations before publication, particularly when making claims against public officials whose reputations and professional credibility may be significantly affected by false accusations.