Ibrahim Musana alias Pressure24/7 in the dock at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s court on February 23, 2024. Photo | Juliet Kigongo.
A TikToker who is accused of insulting the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi and President Museveni has been further remanded to Luzira Prison.
Ibrahim Musana alias Pressure247 was on Friday afternoon denied bail on grounds that he did not convice Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi about his place of abode.
According to court, the evidence on record shows that he stays in Church Zone, Najjanankumbi, Kauga in Mukono, Kakoro in Budaka and a Hotel in Ntinda where he had stayed for two months before his arrest by police.
Musana is accused of promoting hate speech and spreading malicious information, charges he has since denied.
“An applicant who has no fixed place of abode and lacks substantial sureties cannot be released on bail and if court did so it will assume a risk as stated in the case of Francis Onebe Vs Uganda. I am not ready to assume this risk as for those reasons stated above. I do reject the bail application and the accused is further remanded until March 26 when the case comes up for mention,” Mr Kayizzi ruled.
Prosecution led by Mr Richard Birivumbuka while opposing Musana’s bail application told court that he (Musana) is an administrator of his TikTok account and might delete the contentious videos which are prosecution’s key evidence.
“If court is inclined to grant him bail, extreme stringent terms should be imposed which includes a Shs30 million cash bail, deposit a land title in his names,” Mr Bivrivumbaka stated before adding that Musana was dishonest about his residence and that his sureties were not substantial.
In his application for bail, Musana had presented two sureties who included his sister, Brenda Namboozo whom court found to be substantial and Ibrahim Sembatya whom court held that he had no clear relationship with the applicant apart from saying that he was just a friend and that he had no clear place of residence after his local council one chairperson denied knowing him.
Prosecution case
The state led by Ms Joan Keko contends that between August 2023 and February 2024 in areas of Kampala District, while using a computer via his TikTok account identified as Pressure 24/7, Musana shared information which is likely to degrade or demean and promote hostility against four leaders, including the Kabaka Mr Museveni, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and State Minister for Information Communication Technology Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo.
Court documents indicate that several people lodged complaints against Musana, including Jennifer Nakanguubi alias, Full Figure.