By Fred Kiva
Police have identified people arrested in connection to last Friday’s chaos at Buganda road court during the sentencing of academic and research fellow Dr. Stella Nyanzi.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga names the suspects as Zaina Abarinabyo who is alleged to have thrown a mineral water bottle at the presiding Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu. The others are Katumba Wesonga, Waiswa Abdullah, Simon Wandera, Augustine Ojebilia, and Joel Kabali.
Addressing the weekly police press conference at Naguru Police headquarters on Monday, Enanga said the five are accused of loudly objecting in court as the magistrate read the sentence. “They were arrested due to their disorderly conduct which intended to impede, disturb and disrupt the orderly conduct of the court process,” Enanga said.
The police spokesperson explained that they have retrieved CCTV footage from in and outside the courtroom, which is being scrutinized in order to establish which individuals were responsible for what during the court chaos. He says the footage would also enable identification and arrest of more suspects still at large. “This is to send a message that this kind of disrespectful conduct in our courtrooms is punishable,” Enanga emphasized.
He said police have preferred a holding charge of criminal contempt of court against the suspects. “We are also looking at additional charges of assault upon getting a medical form from the victims in court,” he added. Dr Nyanzi who has been on remand for the last nine months was convicted for cyber harassment and offensive communication. She was on Friday sentenced to 18 months in jail.
The prosecution alleges that Dr Nyanzi used her Facebook account to post content deemed obscene against President Museveni’s late mother Esteri Kokundeka and repeatedly posted the messages to disturb or attempt to disturb the peace or right to privacy of President Museveni.