Ebun Olowu
After a lot of pressures, Nigerian artistes, Stanley Omah Didia alias Omah Lay, Temilade Openiyi alias Tems and Muyiwa Awoniyi (Tems manager) are set to be released from police custody in Uganda after charges against them for breaching Covid-19 rules were dropped on Tuesday, December 15 2020.
The Ugandan government has ordered the prisons where the trio are being held to release them as charges against them “had been withdrawn”.
They were arrested on Sunday, December 13 2020, and charged with doing “acts that are likely to cause the spread of infectious disease, Covid-19” following a concert at Ddungu resort in Munyonyo with large crowds while the country is on lockdown.
They were arraigned along with four others before the Makindye division court on Monday, December 14 2020 and remanded in different prisons till Wednesday, December 16.
Following the outcry from Nigerians and some diplomatic moves made by the Nigerian government, the charges against them have now been dropped.
The musicians, the manager and four others were arrested for breaching coronavirus rules when they held a concert on Saturday December 12 2020 in the capital, Kampala.
They were charged on Monday for “negligently doing acts likely to spread an infectious disease” and police said they will be detained until Wednesday.
Documents ordering their release have surfaced on the internet (see below):