Writer/novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has been been charged with two counts of Offensive Communication at Buganda Road Court.
Kakwenza, a controversial government critic was arraigned before Court on Tuesday before being remanded to Kitalya State Prison.
The charge sheet states that Kakwenza willfully and repeatedly used his Twitter handle to disturb the peace of His Excellency the President of Uganda General Yoweri Museveni and First Son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba with no purpose of legitimate communication.
According to Police’s Criminal Investigations Directorate Spokesperson Charles Twiine, the writer will be brought back to Court on 21st January, 2022 for case hearing.
The development comes hot on the heels of High Court’s order to security bosses to produce Kakwenza’s body before the Court on 12th January 2022.
In an order for a writ of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum dated 10th January, Justice Musa Sekaana ordered the Commander of Special Forces Command (SFC) Brig Gen Peter Chandia, the Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola and CID Director Grace Akullo to produce the body of Kakwenza before Court on Wednesday at 10am.
Last week, the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court also ordered for an unconditional release of Novelist/writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija but the requested was not honored.
In a Court order dated 4th January, 2022, Grade One Magistrate Irene Nambatya said Kakwenza should be unconditionally released from police custody and every police officer should comply with the order.
Kakwenza was arrested in December last year from his home in Kisaasi, a Kampala city suburb by armed men.
Police allege that the writer made offensive communication, under the Computer Misuse Act, against President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who doubles as the Commander of Land Forces, between December 23, 2021 and December 26, 2021.
Kakwenza’s lawyer Eron Kiiza last Monday said his client had been tortured while in a week-long detention to an extent that he is urinating blood.
Kiiza said Kakwenza legs are swollen and his clothes are blood stained.
“A search is ongoing at Mr Rukirabashaija’s home in Iganga. He is urinating blood. He has swollen legs. He is clearly tortured. He needs urgent medication and counselling,” Kiiza said.
Although the spokesperson of Criminal Investigations Directorate Charles Twiine confirmed that Kiiza was able to access Kakwenza , he said the suspect was not tortured.
This is the third time Kakwenza is being arrested by security personnel. In all incidents, he has claimed that he was tortured. He was arrested in April and September 2020.
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