Security has finally heeded to pressure and arraigned novelist, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court and later remanded.
Since his arrest on December 28, 2021 from his home in Kisaasi, Kakwenza had not been presented to any court, prompting his lawyers to seek legal redress.
Over a week ago, the magistrates court in Makindye ordered his immediate release by police but the same was not adhered to .
On Monday, the High Court in Kampala issued an order directing the SFC commander, Inspector General of Police, CID director and Attorney General to produce the novelist dead or alive tomorrow, January 12 at 10am to the court.
However, unusual of the court procedure at Buganda Road,the critical writer was brought in the morning hours and charged with two counts of offensive communication contrary to section 25 of the Computer Misuse Act 2011.
“On December, 24, 2021, Kakweknza Rukirabashaija in the Kampala district willfully and repeatedly used his twitter handled to disturb the peace of his excellency the president of Uganda General Yoweri Museveni with no purpose of legitimate communicate,” the charge sheet read in part.
He was also accused of similar offences uttered against the Commander of the Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba , an offence that allegedly happened between December 26 and 28, 2021.
He was remanded to Kitalya until January ,21, 2022.
The development comes on the backdrop of pressure exerted by development partners and civil society on government to have Kakwenza charged to court following his earlier arrest last month.
