TikToker detained over trolling Kabaka faces several criminal charges
TikToker Ibrahim Musana reacts after his arrest over a series of attacks against Kabaka and Buganda Kingdom. PHOTO/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
After his arrest, Ibrahim Musana was handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Kibuli who are now processing him on various charges of misuse of social media platforms, hate speech, malicious information under the Computer Misuse Act, and incitement to violence.
Police said Monday that they were transcribing over 50 videos allegedly recorded by an online troll who allegedly carried out a campaign of abuse against the Buganda king (Kabaka) Ronald Muwenda Mutebi and other kingdom officials.
Ibrahim Musana, a 27-year-old Ugandan TikToker, popularly known on social media as Pressure Pressure is in police detention following his arrest on February 17, 2024 on charges of defamation, promoting hate speech and incitement to violence, among others.
Police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga said he has been using his social media platforms such as Tiktok, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube to attack the Kabaka and Buganda prime minister (Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga, among other kingdom officials.
"We continue to process charges against a suspect who was arrested for defaming the Kabaka of Buganda, promoting hate speech, incitement to violence and other offensive pieces of communication against the Kabaka of Buganda and Buganda Kingdom," Mr Enanga told journalists on Monday.
According to him, Musana, a resident of Kawuuga in Mukono District and Kira Road was arrested by Police Crime Intelligence task teams following a series of reported hate crimes, “acts of incitement of violence, defamation of the Kabaka of Buganda, the Katikiro and a lot of offensive communication through various digital platforms on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube."
After his arrest, Musana was handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Kibuli who are now processing him on various charges of misuse of social media platforms, hate speech, malicious information under the Computer Misuse Act, and incitement to violence.
"We are transcribing over 50 videos of anti-Kabaka sentiments that are vulgar, abusive, hostile and defamatory for evidential purposes," Mr Enanga said.
He added: "A large section of the people of Buganda are not happy with such negative sentiments, ugly speech that are so embarrassing and disrespectful to the Kabaka of Buganda and the Katikiro of Buganda and Buganda Kingdom."
Related cases
Musana is not the first TikToker to be arrested over Computer misuse.
In June 2023, Police arrested a 25-year-old shop attendant who filmed himself and posted on TikTok a video recording, claiming he’s one of the assailants who raided Lhubiriha Secondary School in Mpondwe town, Kasese District in western Uganda.
Resto Kalenzi, a resident of Namengo village, Lugazi Municipality in Buikwe District was arrested on in an operation led by the district police commander, John Lukooto and the crime intelligence officer, ASP Catherine Alupo.
A month before, Joseph Ngoma, a TikTok user was arrested for sexually abusing a teenage girl after he recorded himself in a lodge kissing her and later posted the video on the sensational social media platform.
Ngoma committed the offence in a lodge in Mubende District before going into hiding until he was picked up from his hideout in Kitintale, Kampala.
In September 2022, 27-year-old Teddy Nalubowa, alias Tracy Manule Bobiholic who allegedly recorded a video celebrating the death of former security minister Gen Elly Tumwine and shared on TikTok and other social media was charged with offensive communication and remanded to Luzira prison.
