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Further detention for Uganda varsity don Nyanzi

Tuesday April 25 2017
NyanziPixEA

Uganda's pioneer Makerere University don Stella Nyanzi being directed by police officers at a Kampala court where she was charged recently. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

A court in Kampala has further remanded Uganda's pioneer Makerere University don Stella Nyanzi until May 10 after hearing of a case in which she is accused of cyber harassment.

Dr Nyanzi faces changes over offensive communication for a Facebook post in which she is alleged to have referred to President Yoweri Museveni as a “pair of buttocks”.

For the second time, court did not entertain pleas from Dr Nyanzi's lawyers for her to exercise a right to apply for bail.

The extension

Buganda Road Chief Magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda said while sending her back to Luzira prison that the extension of the hearing date was necessary to allow court time to review the file.

The state wants the controversial academic subjected to a sanity test.

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Her lawyers protest the move and want to proceed to trial with the case.

Dr Nyanzi’s lawyers Nicholas Opio and Isaac Ssemakadde have separately petitioned the High Court arguing that the rulings of the Chief Magistrate should be reviewed at a higher level.

Sexually explicit

They are particularly concerned that the Magistrate did not give the don an opportunity to apply for bail which they say was a violation of a constitutional right.

Dr Nyanzi stocked her latest troubles after she posted sexually explicit criticism of First Lady Janet Museveni also minister for Education over a missed campaign promise to provide sanitary pads to keep poor girls in school.

She was arrested on April 7 and first appeared in court on April 10.

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