Fresh charges keep lawyer Mabirizi behind bars

_________________

Lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi’s hope for freedom has been dashed. The 39-year-old had hoped to regain his freedom on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, following the nullification of provisions of the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act of 2023 by the Constitutional Court last month, under which he had been charged.

However, immediately after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped charges of spreading malicious information and hate speech that were affected by the nullified provisions, he was freshly charged with two new offences, including broadcasting content on his TikTok account without a licence.

The offence is drawn from Sections 28(1) and (2) of the Uganda Communications Act.

According to the charge sheet, Mabirizi allegedly, via his TikTok account @male.mabirizi accessed through a telecommunication platform of Airtel Uganda Limited using his SIM card (concealed), published an audio-visual news story in which he stated that Chief Justice Zeija is a conman, corrupt, and a land grabber who allegedly sold his property to pay a bribe for his appointment as Principal Judge, which was not the case.

Justice Zeija joined the Judiciary in 2016 following his appointment as a judge of the High Court by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Three years later, in December 2019, he was elevated to the position of Principal Judge.

In February last year, Zeija was appointed Deputy Chief Justice, a role he held until January 21 this year, when he assumed office as Chief Justice, replacing Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who retired on January 18 this year upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The second charge is publishing fake news. The prosecution alleges that on the same day, Mabirizi, via the same TikTok account, published an audio-visual news story in which he stated that Justice of the Court of Appeal Musa Ssekaana is also a conman and a fraudster.

The offence is drawn from Section 110(e) of the UCC Licensing Regulations of 2019.

Declines to take plea

When asked to take a plea by the presiding Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, Mabirizi declined, accusing her of bias.

Mabirizi has been ordered to file a formal application giving reasons why the Chief Magistrate should disqualify herself from the case.

He was accordingly remanded until April 15, 2026, when he will reappear in court.

Mabirizi was arrested in February this year following a viral video on social media in which he referred to Chief Justice Zeija and Justice Ssekaana as corrupt judicial officers.

He was arraigned in court on February 27 this year and remains on remand pending completion of investigations into his case.

Commenting on the development, Uganda Law Society (ULS) president Anthony Asiimwe described the situation as persecution of those with dissenting views.

Who is Mabirizi

Born in 1987 to the late Mohammed Mutumba and the late Mastula Ndwaddewazibwa of Mukono District, Mabirizi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Makerere University.

He came into the limelight when he dragged the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, to court over what he described as the illegal collection of land fees known as Busulu from occupants of land in Buganda.

Since then, he has taken several high-profile individuals to court and has also critiqued them on social media platforms in ways that some argue are degrading.