By Kabuye Ronald
Grade One Magistrate Ivan Maloba of the Law Development Centre Court has granted Arnold Anthony Mukose, a journalist with Digital Talk online television, cash bail of five million shillings. His sureties were bonded at 50 million shillings non-cash.
Mukose was charged with publishing false and distressing news regarding the alleged death of First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni. He had earlier been remanded to Luzira Prison.
Mukose was abducted over a month ago as he exited Metro FM following a radio talk show. Security operatives, reportedly attached to the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT), later searched his home in Lukuli-Nanganda before detaining him at Old Kampala Police Division.
The prosecution, led by Rachel Namutebi, told court that between the 26th and 29th of March, Mukose and others still at large knowingly and unlawfully published false information on the Digital Talk platform, claiming that the First Lady had died.
The charge sheet further alleges that Mukose knowingly transmitted or caused the circulation of a false and distressing message about the First Lady during that period. Magistrate Maloba noted that the alleged act contravenes Section 110(e) of the Uganda Communications Commission Act, 2019, which prohibits the dissemination of false information.
Mukose pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case has been adjourned to May 18, 2026, for hearing.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), through its official social media platforms, criticized the bail conditions as excessive and not in the interest of justice.
“Perennially detained and granted a highly costly 5 million cash bail: Our member journalist Arnold Mukose has been told by the LDC Court at Makerere, presided over by HW Ivan Maloba, to first deposit that amount to secure bail. His sureties have been set at 50 million non-cash,” the association posted.
