High Court orders Luzira to produce Dr Nyanzi today
KAMPALA- The Criminal Division of the High Court has directed Luzira Prison authorities to produce remanded Makerere University Research Fellow, Dr Stella Nyanzi on Wednesday to have her grievances heard.
Dr Nyanzi is among others challenging the earlier decisions of Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate James Ereemye Mawanda for allegedly siding with the state to have her first subjected to a mental examination before her bail application could be considered.
“You are hereby directed to produce the above named Stella Nyanzi for her case on the 26th day of April at 9am before Justice EK Kabanda without fail,” a directive to Luzira Prisons leadership by Assistant Registrar of the court, Mr Emmanuel Baguma reads in part.
The directive of the court has been specifically sent to the Superintendent of Prisons, Luzira Women Wing.
Dr Nyanzi’s application for review is expected to be heard by Justice Elizabeth Kabanda at 9 am.
She is facing cyber related crimes slapped against her about two weeks ago by the State for allegedly referring to the person of President Museveni as a “pair of buttocks” on her social media posts.
The State says that Dr Nyanzi’s reference to the person of the President is offensive.
Core to Nyanzi’s application for revision today is that on April 10 this year, Magistrate Ereemye, erroneously and injudiciously, sided with the State and refused to hear her bail application
Dr Nyanzi also faults the magistrate of having remanded her to Luzira Prison awaiting the determination of her mental status instead of hearing her bail application.
“In effect, the learned chief magistrate has thrown into indefinite limbo a bundle of our client’s constitutionally guaranteed rights to liberty, presumption of innocence, presumption of sanity and a fair and speedy hearing before determination of her civil rights and/or criminal charges contrary to the very important duties cast on him as a judicial officer,” Dr Nyanzi’s lawyer stated in her application for revision.
In a related development, the same court is today also expected to hear Dr Nyanzi’s bail application in which she seeks to regain freedom.
