TikToker Pressure 24/7 granted mandatory bail after five months on remand

What the report says

Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has granted mandatory bail to social media creator Ibrahim Musana, known online as Pressure 24/7, after he spent about five months on remand without his trial starting. The decision was made on Wednesday by magistrate Neumbe Ritah Kidasa, who found that Musana had been held beyond the constitutional 60-day limit for pre-trial detention and that the delay was not his fault.

According to The Observer, Musana is facing charges tied to allegations involving Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Prosecutors say he unlawfully obtained and processed the general’s photo and name and later posted content on TikTok that was likely to ridicule or demean him. The case is linked to claims under the Data Protection and Privacy Act and the Computer Misuse Act. Court records cited in the report indicate that the file moved between police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which contributed to delays before trial.

The court ordered Musana to meet several conditions before release, including paying cash bail, providing sureties, depositing identification documents, and promising not to interfere with witnesses or investigations. He must return to court whenever required.

The report notes that this is not Musana’s first run-in with the Buganda Road court over online speech. A separate 2024 case over alleged hate speech against senior public figures later collapsed after the prosecution failed to prove it.