Africa-Press – Tanzania. A MEMBER of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF), Corporal Deodatus Massare (37) appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday charged with trafficking 1.04 kilogramme of heroin, which are dangerous narcotic drugs.
Before Senior Resident Magistrate Joseph Luambano, the accused person was not allowed to enter a plea to the charge because the case against him has been filed under the Economic and Organised Crime Control Act.
The magistrate informed the accused person that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the trial, including the question of bail as the case will be heard by the Corruption and Economic Crime Division of the High Court upon completion of investigations.
Under the circumstances, the magistrate ordered the accused person to go to remand until July 29, 2021, when the case will be mentioned.
Investigations into the matter, according to the prosecution, led by State Attorney Sylivia Mitanto, have not been completed.
Prosecuting, the trial attorney told the court that the accused persons committed the offence on June 19, 2021 at Bunju Beach area within Kinondoni District in the region of Dar es Salaam.
The accused persons are alleged to have trafficked heroin weighing 1.04Kg. Such drugs are allegedly connected with the 88.27 kilogrammes of heroin and methamphetamine, which were found by the Drugs Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) in collaboration with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA in an abandoned Toyota Prado.
The Commissioner General with the DCEA, Mr Gerald Kusaya, told a news conference in Dar es Salaam recently that the drugs in question were seized on June 2, 2021 at Kimara Korogwe areas in the region after TRA officers suspected something wrong on the vehicle and started pursuing the same.
According to him, the driver of the vehicle, having been suspected that he was being monitored, decided to abandon the car and disappeared in thin air.
He explained that after a legal search was conducted, three large bags, commonly known as viroba, were found in the vehicle containing thereon 12 packets of narcotic drugs of heroin type, weighing 12.25 kilogrammes.
“There were also 73 plastic containers with methamphetamine weighing 7.02 kilograms. The investigations into the matter are going on,” the Commissioner General said.
The soldier’s arraignment comes a few days after three people, George Mwakang’ata, a resident of Mbagala Kuu, Andrew Paul, who resides at Kurasini area, and Said Mugoha, a resident of Mtoni Kijichi, all from Temeke District, were brought before the same court charge with trafficking 1.2kg of heroin.
They are alleged to have committed the offence on June 21, 2021 at Mivinjeni areas within Temeke District in the region of Dar es Salaam.
Such arraignments are results of the new push of the war in fighting narcotic drugs, the DCEA Commissioner General said, warning all persons who are involved in the illicit trade.
