Former Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Kizza Besigye was present in court for Dr. Stella Nyanzi’s appearance over offensive communication and cyber harassment as Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, James Eremye Mawanda announced the adjournment of her case to May 10th.
Flanked by Chapter Four lawyer, Andrew Karamagi, the four-time President Museveni opponent who last week tried to visit Dr Nyanzi in Luzira Prison where she has been on remand since April 13th 2017 keenly listened as he followed the proceedings, occasionally smiling for the cameras.
Smiling Dr Stella before Magistrate Ereemye, who refused to hear her bail applic’n & today couldn’t uphold her rights in prison! @ntvuganda pic.twitter.com/rjrnfkDQhD
— Kifefe Kizza-Besigye (@kizzabesigye1) April 25, 2017
And Mawanda said the decision was to allow High Court handle the revision application of Dr. Nyanzi’s case file.
Court further noted that prisons is a competed authority and should be given chance to administratively handle mistreatment claims.
Dr. Nyanzi mistreated
Nyanzi’s defence lawyer Nicolas Opiyo had raised concerns related to mistreatment of Dr Nyanzi without qualification.
The Chapter Four founder said his client has been restricted to book, stopped from seeing her lawyers and her family abrred from visiting her. Mr Opiyo asked court to issue directives to protect her constitutional rights during her trial.
She faces two counts of Cyber Harassment and Offensive Communication contrary to the Computer Misuse Act 2011.
Prosecution states that on January 28th, 2017 while in Kampala, Dr. Nyanzi used a computer to post on her Facebook page to publish information referring to His Excellence Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as among others a pair of buttocks which suggestion/ proposal is obscene or indecent.
Prosecution further states that Dr. Nyanzi between January and March 2017 willfully and repeatedly used electronic communication to post messages offensive in nature via Facebook, to disturb the peace of his Excellency the president of Uganda.
