The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, has said he ordered for the arrest of Makerere University academician, Dr Stella Nyanzi for abusing the Computer Misuse Act.While speaking to the media at a joint press conference by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Uganda Police Force (UPF) at UCC’s head office in Bugolobi, Gen Kayihura said the public should not blame the First lady and Education minister Ms Janet Museveni over Dr Nyanzi’s arrest and prosecution.
He said Nyanzi’s arrest was conducted by the police under his supervision and order because her vulgar and dehumanizing communication on her Facebook page tantamount to abuse of laws governing the use of social media.
“I don’t know why the First lady is being brought into this. She publically forgave her [Dr Nyanzi] but we as police we did forgive her. If you are to blame anyone in this, blame me not the first lady,” Gen Kayihura said.
Dr Nyanzi who was arrested last Friday was on Monday charged with two counts including cyber harassment contrary to section 24 (1)(2)(a) of the Computer misuse Act 2011 and offensive communication contrary to section 25 of the Computer Misuse Act 2011.
The academic woes stem from her alleged offensive Facebook posts she made specifically about President Museveni for backtracking on providing free sanitary pads to school girls, a promise he made during the 2016 presidential campaigns.
Dr Nyanzi who was arrested last Friday was on Monday charged with two counts including cyber harassment contrary to section 24 (1)(2)(a) of the Computer misuse Act 2011 and offensive communication contrary to section 25 of the Computer Misuse Act 2011.
The academic woes stem from her alleged offensive Facebook posts she made specifically about President Museveni for backtracking on providing free sanitary pads to school girls, a promise he made during the 2016 presidential campaigns.
The prosecution alleged that Dr Nyanzi on January 28, 2017 at Kampala District or thereabout used a computer to post on her Facebook page dubbed Stella Nyanzi wherein she made a suggestion or proposal referring to His Excellence Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as among others a pair of buttocks which suggestion was obscene or indecent.
Gen Kayihura insisted that all the charges against Dr Nyanzi were preferred against her by the team of detectives attached to UCC whose work is monitoring crimes committed via cyberspace.
“What we did as police was in line of our duty. I was doing my job. There is no anyone who ordered for her arrest except me,” he said.
Dr Nyanzi who also was for the second time suspended from Makerere University by the Appointments Board will reappear before Buganda Road Chief Magistrates court in two weeks’ time.
Gen Kayihura insisted that all the charges against Dr Nyanzi were preferred against her by the team of detectives attached to UCC whose work is monitoring crimes committed via cyberspace.
“What we did as police was in line of our duty. I was doing my job. There is no anyone who ordered for her arrest except me,” he said.
Dr Nyanzi who also was for the second time suspended from Makerere University by the Appointments Board will reappear before Buganda Road Chief Magistrates court in two weeks’ time.
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