Journalist Fined Shs 60 Million for Defaming Letshego CEO

The High Court has issued a significant ruling, ordering journalist Henry Lubulwa to pay Shs 60 million to Letshego Uganda Limited and its chief executive officer, Germany Giles Aijukwe. This directive stems from a defamation case filed by Letshego and Aijukwe against Lubulwa and his online publication, Entebbe Post.

The crux of the legal battle involved articles published by Lubulwa alleging that Aijukwe and Letshego had engaged in fraudulent activities when selling a property. According to court documents, the property in question was mortgaged by a borrower, Alex Niyonzima, to secure a loan from Letshego. When Niyonzima defaulted on his loan repayments, Letshego proceeded with the lawful foreclosure and subsequent sale of the property to a third party, Betty Kyomuhendo.

Lubulwa’s publication falsely claimed the sale was illegal and that Aijukwe had fled the country after the “controversial sale.” The court found these claims to be untrue and damaging to the reputation of both the company and its CEO.

In his judgment, Justice Collins Acellam stated that Lubulwa’s publication exposed the plaintiffs to hatred and ridicule, lowering their standing in the eyes of the public. The judge noted that the article led to public comments labeling Letshego as fraudulent and also generated negative, even tribalistic, comments against Aijukwe, which are detrimental to a financial institution’s integrity.

Consequently, the court awarded Shs 50 million in general damages and Shs 10 million in exemplary damages. Justice Acellam emphasized the severity of the accusations of fraud and dishonesty leveled against Aijukwe and the attack on Letshego’s business integrity. Lubulwa has also been ordered to issue a public apology and cover the costs of the lawsuit.

This ruling underscores the importance of accurate reporting, particularly concerning financial institutions and their executives.