This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
On November 1, 2019, Tanzanian comedian and Big Brother Africa winner Idris Sultan sparked controversy with PhotoShopped photos of President John Pombe Magufuli.
The photos, which were meant as a joke, showed Sultan's head superimposed onto the president's body, wishing him a happy birthday.
However, the photos quickly went viral and caught the attention of Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda, who ordered Sultan to report to the nearest police station for questioning over allegations of disrespecting the president.
Two weeks after the incident, Sultan has apologized to President Magufuli, insisting that the photos were taken out of context by certain quarters who missed the joke.
"My intentions were all good. Unfortunately, they were misinterpreted. Because of that, I thought it is wise to apologise to the President himself if the photos irked him," Sultan said.
Despite the apology, Sultan's file has been handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine if he has a case to answer before he can be taken to court.
