Journalist Mukose charged over ‘false death’ report on First Lady

Wait 5 sec.

Digital Talk journalist Arnold Anthony Mukose has been charged with publishing false and distressing information about the death of First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni and remanded to Luzira Prison. Mukose was arrested over the weekend shortly after appearing on a radio talk show at Metro FM. Security operatives, reportedly from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT), later searched his home in Lukuli-Nanganda before detaining him at Old Kampala Police Division. On Monday afternoon, Mukose appeared before Grade One magistrate Ivan Maloba at the Law Development Centre Court. The prosecution, led by Rachel Namutebi, told court that between the 26th and 29th of this month, Mukose and others still at large allegedly published false information on the Digital Talk channel claiming that the First Lady had died. The charge sheet further states that Mukose knowingly sent, transmitted or caused the publication of a false and distressing message regarding the alleged death of Janet Museveni. Magistrate Maloba explained that the alleged offence contravenes provisions of the Uganda Communications Commission Act, 2019, particularly Section 110(e), which prohibits broadcasting false information. Mukose denied the charges. His lawyers, Kato Tumusiime and Kakulu Tumusiime, applied for bail, which the magistrate initially allowed. However, the prosecution requested more time to verify the credentials of the sureties, including their residences and national identity cards. The court granted the request and adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, remanding Mukose to Luzira Prison to allow the state to complete verification of the sureties.The post Journalist Mukose charged over ‘false death’ report on First Lady appeared first on The Observer.