THREE residents of Rukwa Region are in trouble for allegedly sending a message to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications (Communications), Dr Maria Leticia Sasabo, with a view to obtaining money from her.
Japhet Mzuri, Joseph Richard and Justin Sadoki, alias Kapita, who all reside in Sumbawanga, Rukwa Region, were arraigned at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday charged with one count of initiating the transmission of unsolicited message.
They denied the charge before Senior Resident Magistrate Rashid Chaungu. The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Wankyo Simon, could not object to the court to grant them bail, but was quick to point out that bail conditions must enable them to attend their trial whenever required.
In the circumstances, the magistrate granted bail to the trio on conditions that each of them must secure two reliable sureties and every surety has to sign bond of 10m/-.
All the sureties, according to the magistrate, must come from Dar es Salaam with introduction letters and identification cards.
None of the accused managed to comply with the bail conditions. They were ordered to go to remand until March 24, 2020 when the case comes up for preliminary hearing. Investigation into the matter, according to the prosecution, has been completed.
Prosecuting, the trial attorney told the court that the accused committed the offence on January 18, 2020 in Sumbawanga District, Rukwa Region.
They are alleged to have transmitted an unsolicited message to Dr Maria Leticia Sasabo with intention to obtain money from her.
Such message reads, “Chukua namba hii ndiyo utumie kutuma hiyo pesa jina litatoka Asha Mwamalekelu.”
This means, “Take this number and use it to send the money, the name that comes out is Asha Mwamalekelu.”
Meanwhile, the case file of murder trial of Dar es Salaam resident Khamis Luwongo, who allegedly killed his wife and later burnt her body to ashes using two bags of burning charcoal, has been take to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for scrutiny.
This was revealed yesterday before the same court by State Attorney Janeth Magoho, when the case came up for mention.
She requested the court to adjourn the trial until another date to give the DPP more time to go through the file.
The magistrate granted the request and adjourned the case until March 23, 2020. Luwongo, alias Meshack (38), was arraigned for the first time to face the murder charge on July 30, 2019.
He was not allowed to enter plea to the charge because his case would be tried by the High Court.
The magistrate ordered him to remain in remand pending the completion of investigation and committal to the High Court for trial.
The prosecution alleges that on May 15, 2019, at Gezaulole, Kigamboni District in Dar es Salaam, Luwondo killed his wife Naomi Marijani.
It was reported that Naomi went missing from her home at Gezaulole Kigamboni on May 15, 2019, but investigation by the police revealed that she was killed by her husband and her body was burnt to ashes.
It is claimed that the ashes of her body were buried in Mkuranga District, Coast Region.
