Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Court of Appeal has confirmed the 30-year-imprisonment sentence imposed on Tanga City-based prominent businessman Yanga Omary Yanga, nicknamed as “Rais wa Tanga” for trafficking large quantity of Heroin Hydrochloride, weighing 1,052.63 grams, which are narcotic drugs.
This followed the decision of the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal under which Yanga, the appellant, had lodged to oppose findings of the High Court’s Corruption and Economic Crime Division at Tanga Zone, by Judge Imakulata Banzi.
“We do not find cogent reasons to vary the decision of the trial court because the charge were proved beyond reasonable doubt and as such this appeal is without merit and it is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” Justices Stella Mugasha, Winfrida Korosso and Lugano Mwandambo declared.
During the hearing of the appeal, counsel for the appellant had several complaints, including that what was retrieved from his house were crumps (Chenga ) and not narcotic drugs.
However, having gone through the evidence on record, the justices were satisfied that the retrieved substances were narcotic drugs.
There was a question on whether the law was complied with during the search and seizure of what was retrieved from the appellant’s house, in particular, section 48 of the Drugs Control and Enforcement Act.
A close examination of the provisions and the evidence on the record, the justices noted that before arrest, the appellant was informed about the alleged offence; involved in the search and appended his name and signature on the seizure certificate and on the same day recorded his statement at the police.
They said that apparently, such prosecution account on the said process was cemented by the appellant’s own account together with that of his wife and the house girl, who were also charged jointly with him.
