Saturday, June 13, 2015
An alleged critic of Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on social media has been sent to prison.
Robert Shaka on Thursday evening appeared in court court and was charged then sent to Luzira prison in Kampala.
He was brought to court after spending three days in police custody.
Mr Shaka, an IT specialist, was charged with offensive communication contrary to Section 25 of Computer Misuse Act, which he denied.
FORMALLY CHARGED
He was accordingly remanded to Luzira until Monday when he will reappear to apply for bail.
According to the charge sheet, the State alleges that Mr Shaka, who used the alias Tom Voltaire Okwalinga, between 2011 and 2015, in Kampala, wilfully and repeatedly using a computer with no purpose of legitimate communication, disturbed the right to privacy of the President by posting statements regarding his health on Facebook.
The charge came hours after a court had ordered the police to unconditionally release him for being held beyond the 48 constitutional hour rule before being formally charged.
The accused had been held at Kireka’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) since Monday.