Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Police Force yesterday stepped up security at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam when Chadema National Chairman Freeman Mbowe and three others were brought to the court to attend the terrorism trial they are facing.
They were brought to the court premises at around 9.00am in a prison vehicle from Ukonga and briefly taken to a lock up before being taken to Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba in an open court chamber where the prosecution read afresh the charges against the accused person.
None of the accused persons were allowed to enter a plea to the charges because the court has no powers to handle it. The magistrate informed the accused persons that his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain anything, including the question of bail, since the offence is not bailable. The case was adjourned to August 13, 2021 when the case will come up for other necessary orders.
The prosecution, led by Principal State Attorney Pius Hilla, Senior State Attorney Christopher Msingwa and State Attorney Sylvia Mitanto informed the court that investigations are not complete.
He submitted that the original case file was with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further scrutiny and that the process of filing information of the trial to the High Court was going on.
Advocate Peter Kibatala pushed for expedition of the process so that his clients could know their fate. In yesterday’s session, several leaders from opposition parties attended.
It is alleged that Chadema invited some international figures, two from Swedish Embassy and other two from European Union to observe the trial against Mbowe and his co-accused. Among notable figures was the Chairman of NCCR Mageuzi James Mbatia, who pleaded to team up with Chadema by providing more lawyers to join forces with Mr Kibatala in defending the accused. However, he appealed to both parties to sit together and find a way of ending the trial in a peaceful manner.
Other accused persons in the trial are Halfan Hassan, Adam Kasekwa and Mohamed Lingwenya. They are facing a total of six counts of conspiracy, provision and collection of funds to commit terrorist acts, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and unauthorised use of uniforms.
According to the prosecution, between May 1, and August 1, 2020 at Aishi Hotel within Moshi District in Kilimanjaro Region and at various places in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Arusha Regions, all the accused persons conspired to blow up fuel stations and other public gatherings.
According to the prosecution, such an act involves prejudice to the public safety and is intended to intimidate the section of the population of the United Republic of Tanzania. It is alleged that within the same period and places, Mbowe indirectly provided funds to other three accused persons, – Hassan, Kasekwa and Lingwenya, to be used in carrying out terrorist acts.
According to the prosecution, between May 1, and August 1, 2020 at Aishi Hotel in Moshi District in Kilimanjaro Region and at various places in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Arusha Regions, jointly and together, the three accused persons indirectly collected funds from Mbowe to be used for terrorist acts.
On August 5, 2020 at Rau Madukani area within Moshi District in Kilimanjaro Region, Kasekwa was allegedly found in possession of a firearm (Luger Pistol) and three ammunition without having a valid license. It is alleged that on August 10, 2020 at Kilakala area within Temeke District in Dar es Salaam, without lawful authority and for the purposes prejudicial to the safety of United Republic of Tanzania, Hassan used the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) four pairs of trousers and three pairs T-shirt.
Others are a pair of rain coat, one pair of jacket, five army hats, one overall, two bags, four corporal ranks, one tool kit, four waist belt, one pair of socks, one rasket, one pair of sweater, one wing badge for attending parachute course, one water calabash and one knife AK 47 CCCP and a pair of National Service trousers.
