Tanzania releases comedian held over video mocking

DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzanian authorities on Wednesday released on bail a popular comedian who was held for more than a week after posting a video of himself laughing at a photo of President John Magufuli.

Police summoned Idris Sultan, a former winner of the Big Brother Africa television series, on May 19 and questioned him over a possible violation of a law against "cyberbullying", his lawyer, Benedict Ishabakaki, told AFP on Wednesday. Sultan was instead charged with a lesser offence related to using a SIM card registered in someone else's name, according to a charge sheet seen by AFP.

He was released after posting bail of 15 million Tanzanian shillings (more than $6,000), with a hearing scheduled for June 9. Sultan's release comes one day after activists and opposition leaders took to Twitter demanding the case against him be thrown out.