ULS President Ssemakadde sentenced to two years in jail for social media attacks on judge
Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Ssemakadde. PHOTO/FILE/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- The ruling was delivered without a response from Ssemakadde, whom the judge noted had declined to file a defense.
High Court has ordered the arrest of Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Ssemakadde to serve a two-year jail term for contempt of court, citing his persistent attacks on judicial officers.
On Friday, Justice Musa Ssekaana found Ssemakadde guilty of making “derogatory and scandalous” remarks against the Judiciary on social media, warning that such behavior cannot be tolerated.
"The repeated nature of the attacks by a person knowledgeable in legal matters and duly elected as president of Uganda Law Society invites this court to send a strong warning and caution against future contemnors," ruled Justice Ssekaana.
He emphasized that while citizens have the right to criticize the Judiciary, personal attacks and misinformation against judicial officers undermine the justice system.
"Threatening statements like those made by the respondent are extremely inappropriate and dangerous to the rule of law. His statements have emboldened others to extend threats, including sharing judicial officers' personal information, posing a security risk," he added.
The case stemmed from an application filed by Hashim Mugisha, who accused Ssemakadde of contempt through a series of offensive social media posts between December 11 and December 22, 2024.
These posts, including the hashtag #SsekaanaMustGo, alleged judicial bias and attacked Justice Ssekaana personally, even accusing him of sexual harassment.
Mugisha sought a court order compelling Ssemakadde to cease his publications, be arrested, detained in civil prison, and pay a UGX 300 million fine.
Justice Ssekaana ruled that Ssemakadde’s statements scandalized the Judiciary, particularly his attacks following an unfavorable ruling in Miscellaneous Application No. 1243 of 2024, which he said undermined judicial impartiality.
The ruling was delivered without a response from Ssemakadde, whom the judge noted had declined to file a defense.
The ruling follows warnings from Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who recently vowed action against Ssemakadde if he did not cease his attacks on judges and issue an apology.
Isaac Ssemakadde: A sandbox for Uganda’s next generation leaders
In 2022, Justice Ssekaana similarly sentenced lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi to 18 months in jail for persistent attacks on judicial officers.
ULS election dispute ruling
In a separate ruling, Justice Ssekaana also overturned a decision by ULS and its election committee chairman, Moses Mwase, which had excluded Pheona Nabasa Gladys Wall from the list of nominated candidates for the Judicial Service Commission.
"The respondents were functus officio after nominating the applicant and had no legal basis to omit her from the final nomination list," he ruled, ordering ULS to cover the costs of the application.
Former Uganda Law Society (ULS) president Pheona Nabasa Gladys Wall and the current ULS president Isaac Ssemakadde.
The judge also barred ULS officials from publishing or circulating defamatory and misleading statements against Nabasa and from interfering with the election process.
