KAMPALA
A journalist attached to Digital Talk has been charged with publishing false and distressing information regarding the alleged death of First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni and remanded to Luzira Prison.
Arnold Anthony Mukose was on Monday arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Ivan Maloba at the Law Development Centre Court in Kampala, where he denied the charges.
Prosecution, led by Rachel Namutebi, told court that between March 26 and 29, 2026, Mukose and others still at large allegedly published false information on the Digital Talk platform claiming that the First Lady had died.
According to the charge sheet, Mukose knowingly sent, transmitted or caused the publication of a false and distressing message regarding the alleged death of Janet Museveni.
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 residence in Lukuli-Nanganda before detaining him at Old Kampala Police Division.
Court heard that the alleged offence contravenes Section 110(e) of the Uganda Communications Commission Act, 2019, which prohibits the broadcasting of false information.
Mukose’s 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.
Magistrate Maloba granted the request and adjourned the case to April 14, 2026. Mukose was remanded to Luzira Prison pending verification of his sureties.
