Human rights activist and law student Praise Aloikin Opoloje was granted bail on Wednesday by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, ending more than two weeks of detention at Luzira Women’s Prison.
Chief Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko released Opoloje on a cash deposit of Shs500,000, while her sureties were each ordered to execute non-cash bonds of Shs1 million. Additionally, the court placed a restriction on her travel, ordering that she cannot leave Uganda without the court's explicit permission.
Opoloje, 27, was initially remanded on September 28 after pleading not guilty to a charge of using another person’s SIM card, which is contrary to Regulation 29 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications Regulations, 2024.
According to the prosecution, Opoloje allegedly used an MTN telephone line registered in the name of her mother, Martha Nalapa Tasima, to carry out an illegal activity across the Rubaga and Kampala Central divisions in September.
Her arrest around September 26 sparked significant public interest and concern among legal practitioners and fellow activists regarding the circumstances of her detention. Reports emerged that Opoloje had originally been summoned to Namungoona Police Station over a minor dispute involving a carpet before allegedly being handed over to officers believed to be from Defence Intelligence and Security.
While police rejected accusations of an abduction, insisting her detention was lawful and tied to the misuse of digital platforms, the case also coincided with widespread attention over social media videos in which Opoloje reportedly referred to the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as a “cabbage.” Despite the public discourse surrounding the videos, the sole formal charge brought before the court remains tied to the disputed SIM card.
Opoloje is a final-year law student at Makerere University and a prominent governance and accountability activist who received the 2025 European Union Human Rights Defenders Award. Her activism has previously brought her into run-ins with the law; in 2024, she was arrested during anti-corruption protests after appearing partially unclothed alongside two other activists.
Her release on Wednesday was met with relief and celebration from supporters. Activist and former academic Dr. Stella Nyanzi took to social media to celebrate her release—dubbing her the “Cabbage Banger”—and thanked those who stood as sureties and attended the court hearing. Prominent academic Jim Spire Ssentongo also publicly questioned the allocation of state resources toward prosecuting a case involving a telephone line registered to a close relative.
With her bail conditions met, Opoloje is now able to pursue her legal defense outside of prison walls. The case remains active before the court, and she is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
