A DAR ES SALAAM resident, Mr Cosma Chacha, appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court in city yesterday, facing three counts of cruelty to children.
He is alleged to have conducted female genital mutilation (FGM) to his three daughters. The 45-year-old resident of Kivule denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Rashid Chaunga.
He was granted bail on conditions of securing two reliable sureties, each of them required to sign a bond of 5m/- of the like sum.
He failed to meet the conditions and was remanded until January 20, 2020 when the case comes up for mention.
Investigation into the matter, according to the prosecution, led by State Attorney Faraji Nguka, has not been completed.
It is alleged that the accused committed the offences on December 8, 2019 at Kivule in Ilala District in Dar es Salaam.
Being the biological father and having the duty of care of his three daughters aged below 18 years, the accused performed FGM on them, an act which caused serious injuries to them.
Meanwhile, the prosecution has asked for more time to complete investigation into a case involving six people, including five foreigners and a Tanzanian, who are allegedly linked to the kidnapping of a Tanzanian billionaire and industrialist, Mr Mohamed Dewji alias MO.
The prosecution told the court that they were still investigating the matter and requested for more time. The magistrate granted the request and adjourned the case until January 21, 2020.
In the case, the five foreigners are still at large. When they are arrested, the foreigners will be joined to the trial facing Twaleb, a Tanzanian taxi driver.
They are Phila Tshabalala alias Mr Phila, a South African and Henrique Alberto Simbine, Daniel Bernardo Manchice, Isaac Jaime Tomo and Zacarious Obasando Junior, who are all Mozambique nationals.
The prosecution alleges that on diverse dates between May 1 and October 10, 2018 in various places in the cities of Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and of Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa, knowingly, the accused furnished assistance in the conduct of affairs of a criminal racket.
It is alleged by the prosecution that the accused had the intent to either reap profit or other benefits from such an act.
The court head that on October 11, 2018 at Colosseum Hotel in Kinondoni Municipal Council jointly and together with other people not in court the accused kidnapped MO.
The prosecution told the court that the accused committed such an offence with intent to cause the prominent businessman to be secretly and wrongfully confined.
Twaleb was charged alone with money laundering, which is alleged to have been committed on July 10, 2018 at Mbezi Beach in the city.
It is alleged further that the accused acquired 8m/-, while at the time of receipt he knew the money was a proceed of a predicate offence of participating in an organised group and racketeering.
