Court Awards URA Employee Shs100m for WhatsApp Defamation by Colleague

A URA staff member, James Abola, has been ordered by the High Court to pay Shs100 million in damages to his colleague, Nicholas Jjengo, for defamatory allegations spread on a URA Senior Management WhatsApp group. Justice Isaac Bonny Teko ruled on June 17th that Abola defamed Jjengo by circulating unverified claims linking him to a shooting incident and suggesting he had pursued another man over a woman.

The court found Abola’s publications on September 18, 2022, to be defamatory, awarding Jjengo Shs70 million in general damages and Shs30 million in exemplary damages. Abola is also mandated to issue a written apology on the same WhatsApp platform within 14 days and is permanently barred from making similar statements.

The dispute stemmed from two messages posted by Abola. The first stated that police were seeking Jjengo, a Customs Officer, in connection with a shooting. The second message elaborated, claiming Jjengo had fired shots at another man’s car after a woman chose to ride with the latter following a social outing.

While Abola argued the information was received in good faith from a police officer and shared under qualified privilege, Justice Teko found the second message to be sensational and personally destructive. The judge noted that Abola had the opportunity to verify the claims, as Jjengo’s supervisor had offered his contact information, but failed to do so meaningfully.

“The fact that investigations were ongoing should have made him more cautious,” Justice Teko stated, adding that repeating allegations, even with a disclaimer of them being under investigation, does not absolve one from defamation liability. The court considered the gravity of the accusations and their circulation among URA’s top managers when assessing damages.

This ruling underscores the serious consequences of spreading unverified and damaging information, especially in professional settings. Jjengo had argued the statements falsely portrayed him as a criminal, violent, and immoral individual, damaging his reputation among URA’s leadership.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)