A Senior Six student has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to spreading false information about President Museveni and making abusive remarks about the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The 20-year-old Edison Ssemugenyi, appeared before the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where he admitted to the offences under the Computer Misuse Act.
According to court records, Ssemugenyi used his social media accounts last month to falsely claim that President Museveni was bedridden and to publish offensive statements targeting Gen. Muhoozi.
Prosecutors told the court that the posts quickly attracted public attention before security officers arrested him.
At the time of his arrest, Ssemugenyi had completed only two papers of his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.
He asked the court for leniency, but the magistrate ruled that the nature of the offence warranted a deterrent penalty.
His imprisonment now raises questions regarding the status of his remaining UACE examinations. Officials at the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) said his case will be handled in accordance with the existing examination regulations.
The case comes amid heightened warnings from authorities about the circulation of harmful, false, or abusive content online, with officials stating that prosecutions will continue for individuals who breach the law.
