A mother and her son have been ordered to pay a magistrate Shs20 million after the High Court found that allegations accusing him of forging his late father’s will and abusing his judicial office were false and defamatory.
The High Court in Jinja has ordered Mrs Lovisa Ayazika and her son, Balondemu Andrew, to pay His Worship Steven Johnson Waidhuuba Shs20 million after finding that they defamed him in a dispute over his late father’s estate.
Justice Joanita Bushara, in a judgment dated September 1, 2026, awarded Waidhuuba general damages of Shs20 million and ordered the defendants to pay interest at six per cent per annum from the date of judgment until full payment. The judge also ordered the two defendants to meet the costs of the suit.
The dispute followed disagreements within the family over the estate of the late A.Y.A. Baatakana Ayazika, including land at Kasolo, Bwanalira Village in Iganga District.
Mrs Ayazika, the deceased’s widow, accused Balondemu Waidhuuba, the eldest son, of forging powers of attorney and a will in an attempt to unlawfully take control of his father’s property.
The allegations further accused him of criminal conduct, abuse of office and professional misconduct.
The claims were communicated to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID), and were later circulated through online platforms.
Waidhuuba, who is a judicial officer, sued the two, contending that the allegations were false and had injured his reputation.
The case proceeded ex parte after the defendants failed to file a defence, leading to a default judgment under Order 9 Rule 10 of the Civil Procedure Rules.
Among the evidence presented by Waidhuuba was a Daily Monitor Online story published on July 16, 2024, under the headline, “Magistrate accused by mother of forging will.”
The article carried allegations that he had forged his late father’s will. The claims were subsequently circulated on platforms including X, Facebook and Tuko.co.ke.
According to the evidence before court, the publications generated comments questioning Waidhuuba’s integrity and fitness to serve as a judicial officer.
Waidhuuba also presented WhatsApp messages posted in the “Abaluuta Twezuule” group, including claims that he should refund money belonging to his late father.
A video clip in which he was ridiculed at a police station was also tendered as evidence.
The court heard that the allegations continued despite attempts by clan members to mediate the family dispute.
Justice Bushara ultimately found that the statements, letters and publications made and disseminated by the defendants concerning Waidhuuba were false and defamatory.
Besides the monetary award, the judge issued a permanent injunction barring the defendants, their agents, servants or anyone acting through them from publishing or disseminating the allegations complained of or substantially similar defamatory claims against Waidhuuba.
The court also directed the defendants to issue a written retraction and apology through the same channels used to disseminate the allegations.
“So far as reasonably practicable, communicate the same through the channels used to disseminate the defamatory publications,” Justice Bushara ordered.
The costs of the suit were also awarded to Waidhuuba and are to be borne by the defendants jointly and severally.
