The Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has issued a stern warning to its dismissed officer, Lawrence Ampe, telling him to stop speaking out or risk arrest on defamation charges.
Ampe was sacked last month after being investigated over a series of TikTok and social media posts in which he accused senior prison officials of corruption, human rights abuses, and mistreatment of junior officers.
Following his dismissal, Ampe took to social media again, sharing his termination letter on platforms including TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). He captioned the post, “I’m finally out, free to support truth,” and went on to release more videos urging Ugandans not to sympathize with him over the job loss.
“What we are doing is not about money. It’s about liberating our nation,” Ampe said in one of his videos.
However, his continued criticism of prison authorities after leaving the service has not gone down well with UPS leadership.
Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine warned that Ampe’s conduct could land him in serious trouble with the law, stressing that indiscipline will not be tolerated, even from former officers.
“I’m not saying he will definitely be arrested, but dismissal is not a license to tarnish the image of government. The public service code still applies, and the long arm of the law can still reach him.”Baine said.
The warning has reignited debate over freedom of expression, whistleblowing, and the limits of criticism for former public servants in Uganda.
