Luuka Deputy Kadhi seeks forgiveness over malicious TikTok claims
Deputy District Kadhi of Luuka District, Uthman Shaban Ngobi, appears in the dock at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of spreading malicious information and hate speech. PHOTO/JULIET KIGONGO
What you need to know:
- During the meeting, Shifah Ahmed attempted to have Omar arrested based on an existing sanctioned case file at Jinja CPS. The altercation that ensued was filmed and later posted online by Ngobi and his associates.
After spending a week on remand at Luzira Prison, Uthman Shaban Ngobi, the Deputy District Kadhi of Luuka District, has returned to court seeking forgiveness over defamatory remarks he made against a widow and her children.
Appearing before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi on June 24, Ngobi admitted that the statements he shared on TikTok against the family of the late Ahmed Salimin were false.
“Your Worship, everything I said in the TikTok videos against the family of the late Salimin was false, and I deeply regret my actions. I respectfully ask for the opportunity to apologise to the widow and the orphans,” Ngobi said in court.
Ngobi, 39, who also serves as County Director at the Albayan Charitable Organisation, is facing two charges: malicious information under Section 28(1) and (2), and hate speech under Section 26(1)(a) and (2) of the Computer Misuse Act, Cap. 96. He has pleaded not guilty.
Magistrate Kayizzi granted Ngobi a cash bail of Shs2 million and advised him to use the time before the next court date, July 8, to seek reconciliation with the affected family.
“The court encourages mediation and restorative justice. If the parties fail to reach an agreement, the case will proceed to full trial,” the magistrate ruled.
Reconciliation efforts are currently being mediated by Uganda’s Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Mubaje, alongside senior religious leaders from the Busoga region.
According to the prosecution, led by Mr Ivan Kyazze, Ngobi and others still at large used social media platforms in April 2025—posting from George Street in Kampala and parts of Iganga District—to circulate videos containing malicious claims about Shifah Ahmed, the daughter of the late Ahmed Salimin.
The videos, which were shared widely on TikTok and Albayyan TV, included serious allegations: accusing Shifah and her siblings of involvement in their father’s death, branding her a prostitute, and claiming that her mother was HIV-positive and also engaged in prostitution.
“The statements were clearly made with the intent to degrade, ridicule, and emotionally harm the victims,” said Mr Kyazze.
Court documents reveal that tensions escalated during a mid-April family meeting convened by the Attorney General concerning the estate of the late Salimin. Saidah Omar, who is currently facing separate forgery charges and claims to be Salimin’s second wife, was reportedly present at the meeting.
During the meeting, Shifah Ahmed attempted to have Omar arrested based on an existing sanctioned case file at Jinja CPS. The altercation that ensued was filmed and later posted online by Ngobi and his associates.
The prosecution further alleges that in one of the videos, Ngobi claimed to have witnessed the Salimin children performing witchcraft rituals on their father's body, an accusation that triggered public backlash and emotional trauma for the family.
“Since that incident, we’ve been humiliated. People say our mother is HIV-positive and accuse us of killing our father,” Shifah told court in her testimony.
Investigations into the cause of Salimin’s death are ongoing at Jinja Central Police Station.
