Jonah Kirabo, a reporter for Next Media Services has made known of his intention to sue NTV Uganda over a misunderstanding caused as they used his image while reporting about the famous Desire Mirembe Murder Case. Through his lawyers of MA Kajubi and Company Advocates, Kirabo has written a notice of his intention to sue.
According to him, during NTV Uganda’s prime time and live broadcast titled NTV at 9 on the June 05, 2022 at about 9-10am, the Serena Hotel-based television station, under its ‘Panorama’ segment, referred to, aired, and broadcasted his image without his permission and portrayed him as the murderer in the famous DESIRE MIREMBE case.
“The broadcast showed his Image with the statement that.. “last week the High court in Mukono found Dr. Mathew Kirabo guilty for the grisly murder of his girlfriend, Desire Mirembe Jemimah, However, by the time he was convicted, it is believed that Kirabo had slipped across the country’s porous borders and is currently hiding outside the country with a new identity,” wrote Kirabo’s lawyers of MA Kajubi and Company Advocates.
The lawyers made it clear that this use of a wrong image on such a gruesome case has turned into an issue for their client who is now suffering psychological torture as many of his family members, friends and even work mates have started looking at him with fear ever since the image was aired.
"Be that as it may, your false, and negligent broadcast of our client as the murderer/killer behind the heinous crime has not only affected him emotionally but it has also raised concerns from his friends, family, and work place hence mental and psychological torture. It has affected his daily executions as an influencer and a big media personality. Your broadcast of our client’s image defamed our client’s character and portrayed him as a murderer, Killer and a criminal who acts in contempt of court and with impunity in the eyes of the public,” the reporter’s lawyers further wrote.
Kirabo has therefore given NTV an ultimatum of seven days to fulfill his demands or be ready to face the law. He demanded for a public apology on every platform owned by the station, 300Million Shillings for compensation as well as 30 Million shillings as legal fees.
