Tanzanian comedian Idris Sultan has been set free after spending seven days behind bars.
The actor was finally arraigned before a Kisutu Resident magistrate on Wednesday where he was charged with failure to register a SIM Card.
Idris is said to have been in possession of an unregistered SIM card which contravenes regulations of the electronic and postal act of 2020.
The SIM card, the court heard, previously belonged to Innocent Maiga who was also charged for failing to report change of ownership of the Sim card.
The court also heard that the Big Brother Africa 2014 winner on different dates between December 2019 and May 19, 2020 in Mbezi Beach, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam used a sim card that previously belonged to Maiga.
Idris was released on bail but his co-accused is still in court after it was established that the sureties provided were facing charges at the same court.
The case will be heard on June 9.
Last week, the funny man’s lawyer Benedict Ishabakaki told BBC that his client was questioned over a video clip in which he laughed at an old picture of President John Magufuli.
“Hawajamwambia mpaka sasa kama amevunja kifungu chochote cha sheria…lakini mwenendo wao wa maswali ni kuhusiana na ile video,” Mr Ishabakaki said.
Idris has had a couple of run ins with the law in the recent past. For example, in October 2019, he was apprehended for swapping his face with that of Magufuli.
Then, Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Paul Makonda instructed the comedian to report to the nearest police station.
Again, in March 2020, Idris was arrested for publishing content online without a license from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
While appearing before Kisutu Court in Dar es Salaam, the actor was said to have committed the offence from March 8, 2016, to March 13, 2020.
He was released on a Sh368,000 bond.
TCRA then noted that his online TV show Loko Motion, contravened set regulations.
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