Ibrahim Musana in court earlier

Court defers TikToker Pressure 24 Seven case to December

by · The Observer

Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's court has postponed the case involving TikToker Ibrahim Musana, popularly known as Pressure 24 Seven, who faces charges of promoting hate speech.

Pressure is accused of eight counts of promoting hate speech against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, speaker of parliament Anita Annet Among, and the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

The case was scheduled for hearing on Tuesday before chief magistrate Ronald Kayizzi. However, in his absence, grade one magistrate Jalia Basajjabalaba presided over the session and adjourned the matter to December 9, 2024, citing Kayizi’s indisposition.

The prosecution alleges that between August 2023 and February 2024, while using his TikTok account, Pressure disseminated content that could degrade or demean and promote hostility against four leaders; Kabaka, President Museveni, speaker Among, and the state minister for ICT Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo.

Pressure first appeared in court on February 24, 2024. At the time, he did not directly respond to the charges, explaining to the chief magistrate that he was unaware his videos constituted an offence, citing psychological distress. He revealed he had previously been admitted to Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital.

The TikToker claimed he was haunted by the spirits of deceased Buganda kings, who allegedly demanded that he repairs their tombs, which he was financially unable to do. He added that he had been writing to the Buganda kingdom for two years, asserting he was a prince and pleading for assistance in vain.

Pressure pleaded with the court for leniency, promising to cease making defamatory content and to delete any existing hate speech material from his TikTok account.

His legal troubles began when Buganda kingdom officials reported him to the police for ridiculing the Kabaka. He was arrested and held in police custody for a week before being brought to court. Since then, he has been released on bail, under strict conditions that prohibit him from mentioning the names of the president, speaker, and the Kabaka.

Meanwhile, yesterday Monday, another TikToker was sentenced to two years in prison by Entebbe Chief Magistrate's court for demeaning President Museveni. Earlier this year, the same court sentenced another TikToker to six years in prison on similar charges.

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