Pressure 24 Seven lawyers ask court to withdraw hate speech charges

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lawyers representing Tik-toker Ibrahim Musana Commonly known as Pressure 24 Seven have asked Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court to withdraw charges  of hate speech against him arguing that prosecutors are not ready to bring evidence against their client.

Pressure 24 Seven is facing eight counts of promoting hate speech against the President of Uganda, Speaker of Parliament  Anita Annet Among and Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

The matter came up on Wednesday for hearing before the Court presided over by the Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi.

However,  State Attorney  Ivan Kyazze informed the Court that they were not ready to proceed with the hearing on the basis they are still processing the forensic report and  Compact Disks (CDs) with videos that they intend to use in the trial to prove the charges against Pressure 24/7.

As a result, his lawyers Kato Tumusiime and Kakuru Tumusiime presented their request to withdraw the matter on grounds that it has dragged on since February 2024 without the trial ever commencing.

One of the complainants Jennifer Nakanguubi commonly known as Full Figure was in Court ready to testify as a Prosecution witness.

But, the Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi directed the prosecutors to be ready at the next session saying that he has given them a last chance.   He adjourned the matter to November 19th 2024.

Prosecution states that between August 2023 and February 2024 in areas of Kampala district, while using a computer via his tik-tok account, Pressure 24 Seven shared information which is likely to degrade or demean and promote hostility against four leaders including the Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi 2, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Speaker of Parliament  Annet Anita Among and State Minister for Information Communication Technology – ICT  Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo.

Pressure 24 Seven was arraigned before the Court for the first time on February 24th 2024.

But he did not directly plead to the charges. He told the Chief  Magistrate that he wasn’t aware that by posting such videos, he was committing an offence since he is psychologically unwell having been admitted to Butabiika National Referral Mental Hospital some time back.

According to Pressure, he was being disturbed by the spirits of Buganda’s dead Kings who demanded him to repair their tombs but he was financially constrained.

Pressure 24 Seven added that for two years he has been writing to Buganda Kingdom informing them that he is a Prince and the spirits are making such demands but he has not received any response.

He therefore pleaded to the court to forgive him with a promise to desist from attacking leaders and to delete all the hate speech content from TikTok.

His troubles started when Buganda Kingdom officials reported a case of ridiculing the Kabaka to the police.  He was then arrested and kept under police custody for a week before his production in court which also sent him to prison for about two months before he could secure bail.

Pressure 24 Seven was barred from mentioning the names of the President of Uganda, Speaker of Parliament and Kabaka of Buganda as part of the terms and conditions for his temporary release.

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