The City Hall Magistrates Court has remanded TikToker Hassan Nsubuga to Luzira Prison over allegations of cyber harassment, unlawful obtaining and disclosure of personal data, and cyberstalking involving Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine and Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba.
Nsubuga, 40, a resident of Kisubi in Entebbe Municipality, faces six charges arising from social media publications allegedly made in September 2026. He denied the charges when he appeared before Senior Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire.
According to the charge sheet, Nsubuga allegedly used his TikTok account to accuse Atwine of stealing funds from the Ministry of Health and contributing to the deterioration of medical services, which he claimed had led to the deaths of several Ugandans.
He is also accused of making similar allegations against Nabakooba, whom he allegedly accused of misappropriating ministry funds, facilitating the creation of fraudulent land titles and frustrating court cases involving land disputes affecting poor people.
Prosecutors further allege that Nsubuga urged members of the public to rise against the two officials, arrest them and identify their personal properties for sale.
The prosecution contends that the publications contained threats of physical harm against Atwine and Nabakooba, as well as their property.
The six counts comprise two counts of cyber harassment, two of unlawful obtaining and disclosure of personal data, and two of cyberstalking. The alleged offences were reportedly committed in September 2026 in Kampala and surrounding areas.
The cyber harassment and personal data charges relate to the alleged publications concerning the two government officials. The cyberstalking counts accuse Nsubuga of using electronic communications to repeatedly contact or harass Atwine and Nabakooba, allegedly interfering with their peace, privacy and personal security without a legitimate purpose.
Prosecutor Benjamin Amanya told the court that investigations into the case had been completed. Court records indicate that the matter was initially registered at Kira Road Police Station under Criminal Registration Book reference number 1045/2026 before it was taken to court.
Nsubuga applied for bail, relying on the principle that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, the court declined to release him, citing concerns about the suitability of his proposed sureties.
His proposed sureties were Abbey Twaha Kaddu, a shop attendant in Seeta, and Josephine Namatovu, his sister, who operates a shop in the same area.
The prosecution opposed the bail application, arguing that Kaddu did not have a sufficiently close relationship with Nsubuga to guarantee his attendance in court. It also questioned Namatovu’s ability to demonstrate ownership of her business, noting that she had not presented a trading licence.
In his ruling, Karakire observed that the proposed sureties lived outside the jurisdiction of the City Hall Magistrates Court and had not demonstrated sufficient influence over the accused to ensure that he would return to court whenever required.
The magistrate also noted that the sureties had not adequately established the nature and location of their businesses, which the court considered important in facilitating their tracing if Nsubuga failed to appear.
Karakire advised Nsubuga to identify more suitable sureties and renew his bail application if he wished to seek release pending trial. He was subsequently remanded to Luzira Prison until November 5, 2026.
Nsubuga’s case adds to a series of prosecutions in Uganda involving allegations of unlawful conduct through social media and other electronic communication platforms.
In a prominent earlier case, Brian Isiko, then a student at YMCA, was charged with cyberstalking former Kabarole District Woman Member of Parliament Sylvia Rwabwogo. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison.
Former Makerere University academic Dr Stellah Nyanzi has also faced prosecution over charges involving offensive communication and cyber harassment.
Another case involved TikToker Ibrahim Musana, popularly known as Pressure 24/7, who faced allegations of cyber harassment following social media posts targeting the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, former Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and Minister Joyce Ssebugwawo.
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