Activist Praise Aloikin Opoloje Remanded to Luzira Prison as Magistrate Declines Bail Hearing
KAMPALA, UGANDA — Ugandan human rights defender and law student Praise Aloikin Opoloje has been remanded to Luzira Women’s Prison until October 14, 2026, after Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko refused to hear her bail application during a court session held in chambers.
Opoloje, 27, was produced before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court following days of uncertainty surrounding her location. Rights organizations and legal monitors reported that Opoloje was forcibly detained on September 26 after responding to a police summons in Namungoona, in what civil society advocates have characterized as an unconstitutional abduction before formal charges were presented.
SIM Card Charges and Refusal of Bail
State prosecutors charged Opoloje under digital regulation frameworks, alleging that she illegally used a SIM card registered in her mother’s name to engage in unauthorized online activities. Opoloje pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the court appearance, defense counsel attempted to move an application for bail seeking Opoloje’s temporary release. However, Judicial Officer Nankya Winnie Jatiko declined to hear the bail application and remanded the activist to Luzira until October 14, leaving her in custody until her next scheduled appearance.
Public Outcry and Calls for Due Process
The magistrate’s decision has drawn swift condemnation from human rights monitors and civil society groups. Activist groups, including Agora Discourse and Chapter Four Uganda, have raised serious concerns over the denial of a prompt bail hearing, citing Article 23 of Uganda’s Constitution, which guarantees the right to apply for bail and mandates strict adherence to procedural due process.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and prominent human rights lawyers condemned the circumstances of her detention, emphasizing that no state official is above the law and demanding an immediate end to arbitrary detentions targeting vocal youth and activists.
Online campaigns under hashtags such as #FreePraiseAloikin continue to gain traction across social media platforms, with supporters and human rights organizations demanding her immediate release, access to her legal team, and fair trial guarantees.
