Idris Sultan, Big Brother Africa 2014 winner and Tanzanian comedian, has been arrested for reportedly laughing at a throwback photo of President of Tanzania, John Pombe Magufuli in a short video he shared online.

His lawyer Benedict Ishabakaki told BBC on Thursday May 21, that he was accused of contravening the Cybercrimes Act 2015 against cyberbullying.

The law states:

A person shall not initiate or send any electronic communication using a computer system to another person with intent to coerce, intimidate, harass or cause emotional damage.”

Ishabakaki said they are now awaiting the arraignment of Idris who has been in police custody for two days and accused of using the internet to harass the President

Ishabakaki said;

“They have not told him till now if he has broken any clause … but their questioning behaviour is related to the video. We hope he can be released on bail today. In short, the police claim Idris used the internet to harass the president.”

See tweet below:

The famous Tanzanian comedian Idris Sultan (@IdrisSultan) is jailed after posting a video in which he was laughing at a picture of the President of Tanzania.

See the video:
pic.twitter.com/pDZYUJvNAg

— Comrade Désiré (@ncambirwa) May 19, 2020