Human rights activist Praise Aloikin Opoloje has been granted bail by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court after spending more than two weeks on remand at Luzira Women’s Prison.
Chief Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko granted Opoloje bail on Wednesday, requiring her to deposit Shs500,000 in cash. Each of her sureties was ordered to execute a non-cash bond of Shs1 million.
The court also barred her from travelling outside Uganda without its permission.
Opoloje, 27, was remanded on September 28 after pleading not guilty to a charge of using another person’s SIM card, contrary to Regulation 29 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations, 2024.
Prosecutors allege that she used an MTN telephone line registered in the name of Martha Nalapa Tasima, identified as her mother, to conduct an illegal activity in Rubaga and Kampala Central divisions in September.
Her arrest around September 26 attracted public attention, with activists and lawyers questioning the circumstances surrounding her detention.
Opoloje had reportedly been summoned to Namungoona Police Station over a dispute involving a carpet. Activists and lawyers subsequently alleged that she was handed over to officers believed to be from Defence Intelligence and Security.
Police denied that she had been abducted, maintaining that she was lawfully detained over allegations relating to the misuse of her digital platforms.
The case has also drawn attention because of social media videos in which Opoloje reportedly referred to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba as a “cabbage”. However, the formal charge before court concerns the alleged use of a SIM card registered in another person’s name.
Opoloje is a final-year law student at Makerere University and received the 2025 European Union Human Rights Defenders Award. She is known for her activism on governance and accountability.
She was previously arrested in connection with anti-corruption protests in 2024, during which she and two other activists appeared partially unclothed. The cases subsequently encountered setbacks in court.
Her release on Wednesday prompted reactions from fellow activists and supporters.
Former lecturer and activist Stella Nyanzi welcomed the development, referring to Opoloje as the “Cabbage Banger” and thanking those who stood surety for her and attended court.
Academic Jim Spire Ssentongo also questioned the public resources spent pursuing a case involving a telephone line registered in the name of a relative.
Opoloje will remain out of custody as the case proceeds, provided she complies with the bail conditions imposed by the court.
She denies the charge and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a competent court.
