Digital media journalist Dean Lubowa Saava has been ordered to pay Shs 100 million in general damages after the High court found him liable for defaming deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe.
In her judgment, High court judge Joyce Kavuma ruled that statements published by Saava on his TikTok account, TV10 Gano Mazima, falsely portrayed Muhairwe as corrupt, dishonest and unfit to hold public office, thereby damaging her reputation and exposing her to public ridicule.
The court also issued a permanent injunction restraining Saava, his agents and anyone acting on his behalf from publishing further defamatory statements against Muhairwe. In addition, he was ordered to issue a public apology on the same TikTok platform where the offending statements were published.
Court records show that Saava repeatedly alleged through his TikTok account that Muhairwe had received Shs 200 million from engineers involved in a road project in Kaabong district and influenced investigations into the matter.
He further accused her of engaging in other corrupt dealings and questioned her competence and suitability to serve in Uganda’s anti-corruption agency. Muhairwe denied the allegations, telling the court that she had never received the alleged money, participated in the activities referred to by Saava or visited Kaabong district in connection with the claims.
The case proceeded ex parte after Saava failed to file a defence despite being served with court documents. Justice Kavuma observed that although the defendant did not participate in the proceedings, Muhairwe was still required to prove her case on a balance of probabilities.
During the hearing, Muhairwe presented recordings of the TikTok broadcasts and called Kakooza Savio Ntensibe, director of Ombudsman Affairs at the Inspectorate of Government, as a witness.
Ntensibe dismissed claims that he was Muhairwe’s personal assistant who allegedly collected money on her behalf, telling the court he had no involvement in any such transaction.
The court found that the publications were defamatory and capable of leading an ordinary, reasonable person to conclude that Muhairwe was corrupt and unfit to serve as deputy IGG.
The judge further observed that Saava continued publishing the allegations despite warnings to stop, conduct she said demonstrated malice and recklessness.
The court also considered evidence presented by Muhairwe’s lawyers indicating that Saava had reportedly admitted, in a separate criminal matter through a plea bargain, that the statements he published about the deputy IGG were false.
In assessing damages, justice Kavuma considered the injury to Muhairwe’s reputation, the humiliation and emotional distress caused, and Saava’s failure to apologise or participate in the proceedings.
Although Muhairwe had sought exemplary damages, including Shs 300 million in punitive damages, the court declined to award them, finding no evidence that Saava had financially benefited from the defamatory publications.
Instead, the court awarded Muhairwe Shs 100 million in general damages, costs of the suit and interest at court rates until payment in full.
In a separate case, Saava was convicted in February 2026 by the Makindye Chief Magistrates Court on charges of operating an online television broadcasting service without a licence from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and disobeying lawful directives issued by the regulator.
The court heard that between November 2018 and September 26, 2025, Saava and others operated TV10 Gano Mazima from Lungujja in Rubaga Division without a valid broadcasting licence.
Several complainants, including Muhairwe, had petitioned the UCC over content broadcast by Lubowa, alleging defamation and seeking regulatory intervention. Following repeated warnings, the UCC instituted criminal proceedings against him. Saava was subsequently convicted after entering a plea bargain in which he undertook to reform.
The Chief Magistrate of the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court at Makindye, Gladys Kamasanyu, sentenced him to a combined fine of Shs 4 million on the three counts, with a default sentence of six months’ imprisonment.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of 45 pieces of broadcasting equipment seized from the TV10 Gano Mazima offices and studio in Lungujja. The equipment was ordered to be disposed of by the UCC in accordance with the law.