Tiktoker gets 6 years in jail for insulting President Museveni, First Family

TikTok user sentenced to 6 years in prison in Uganda for offending President Yoweri Museveni and other members of the First Family
Edward Awebwa posted a video on TikTok with vulgar and denigrating comments about the President, his wife, and the Chief of Defense Forces
Awebwa admitted to the charges and was sentenced to six years for each of the four counts, to be served concurrently

Edward Awebwa was sentenced on his own guilty plea, by Mukono Grade One Magistrate Stella-Maris Amabirisi.

He was accused of posting a video on TikTok in which he made vulgar and denigrating comments about the Head of State, his wife Janet and First Son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba who is also the Chief of Defense Forces of the UPDF.

A resident in Nama, in Mukono district, Awebwa was arrested last week and brought before the court where he admitted to all four charges read to him.

The Magistrate sentenced Awebwa to six years for each of the counts. He is, however, to serve all four sentences concurrently.

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Lenient sentence

Amabirisi in her verdict, said she didn't hand the suspect the maximum punishment on account of his young age and the fact that did not waste the court’s time by taking the case to trial.

The state prosecution led by Janet Kitumbo had requested the maximum sentence to serve as a deterrent to other young people who continue to misuse social media.

Awebwa also told the court that he had been paid by some people to make vile videos about the president.

“The language that was used (in the videos) was really bad…this court is of the opinion that this is sufficient punishment that will enable him to learn from his mistakes,” ruled the magistrate.

Aweebwa as up to two weeks to challenge this judgement in a higher court.