Tanzanian comedian cum actor Idris Sultan is still in police custody, his lawyer Benedict Ishabakaki has revealed.
According to Ishabakaki, Idris has been questioned over a video clip in which he is laughing at an old picture of President John Magufuli.
A Tanzanian Comedian has been arrested for this 👇 laughing at old Magufuli picture #FreeIdrisSultan #FreeIdrisSultan #FreeIdrisSultan #FreeIdrisSultan #FreeIdrisSultan #FreeIdrisSultan pic.twitter.com/uaC8LcqNai
— Babuu wa Pemba (@tzdyetu) May 19, 2020
“Hawajamwambia mpaka sasa kama amevunja kifungu chochote cha sheria…lakini mwenendo wao wa maswali ni kuhusiana na ile video,” the defence counsel told BBC.
The Big Brother Africa 2014 winner, his lawyer noted is yet to be charged and neither has he been presented before a court of law.
Further, the lawyer said, police searched his home on Wednesday night.
He is hopeful that his client who surrendered to the police on Tuesday will be released on bail.
“Tunataraji anaweza kuachiwa kwa dhamana hii leo…masharti tuliyopewa ni awe na wadhamini wawili wanaotambuliwa na serikali ya mtaa,” Mr Ishabakaki added.
In October 2019, Idris was again 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.
He was questioned for over four hours and later released on bail.
Again, in March 2020, Idris was apprehended 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.
His last Instagram update, where he enjoys a 5.4 million following, was two days ago.
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