Technology Glitch Disrupts Dr Zedriga’s Online Court Hearing

The Chief Magistrate’s court was forced to adjourn the hearing of the National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president, Dr Lina Zedriga, over technology flaws.

Dr. Zedriga this mornin,g appeared before the court via Zoom technology from her prison cells at Gulu Main Prisons in Gulu City.

She was remanded on February 6 over inciting violence contrary to section 79 (1) of the Penal Code Act and consequently remanded to Gulu Main Prison (Female section). She was, however, later transferred to Luzira Maximum Prison (Female Section), with prison officials citing security concerns.

This morning, Dr. Zedriga returned to court, however, through video conferencing from Gulu Main Prison. During the session, however, the communications kept being disrupted due to a poor internet connection.

Submissions by defence counsels couldn’t be heard by the accused, nor could the magistrate in the court get good feedback from the prison section.

Dr. Zedriga was represented by four defense counsels comprising the lead counsel, Jonathan Elotu, the head of legal affairs at NUP; Hadad Salim from Hadad and Co Advocates; Beatrice Angurifu from the Uganda Law Society; and Kizza Oscar.

Due to the interrupted online communication, Salim, one of the defense counsels, petitioned the court to produce Dr Zedriga in person in court for the hearing session. The state prosecutor, Patricia Adyedo, didn’t object to the defense prayers and earlier stated the matter was still under investigation.

The magistrate, Augustine Angule, consequently adjourned the session to 1 pm in the afternoon. Speaking to Uganda Radio Network in an interview, Salim noted that they are still in shock to witnesses that Dr Zedriga was being produced in court via Zoom technology.

“Today, basically, we are in shock that she has been produced on Zoom when we were reliably informed that she is actually within Gulu,” said Salim.

Salim said it was Dr Zedriga’s right to physically follow the proceedings of the matter against her in court.

Prison officials have been tasked to transport and produce Zedriga in court and had, however, requested three hours, a submission rejected by the defense team.