THE Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court in Dar es Salaam has sentenced two people to either pay 10m/-or go to jail for two years for providing content on their online television without a licence issued by Tanzania Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).
Senior Resident Magistrate Augustina Mbando imposed such a sentence after convicting Emmanuel Sisala and Juhudi Motda on their own plea of guilty.
In addition, the magistrate said the machines used in committing the offence, including mobile phones, cameras and computers would be confiscated by the government.
Reading the particulars of the offence committed, State Attorney Adolf Lema told the court that on diverse dates between January 2018 and February 2020, within the city, through their online television known as Jumo TV, the accused provided online content without having a TCRA licence.
Last year, several prominent persons were indicted on face charges, including using a domain not registered in Tanzania and providing online content without a licence issued by TCRA.
Among them include masters of ceremony (MCs) Emmanuel Mathias, alias MC Pilipili, Julius Warioba, alias MC Warioba, Radio Presenter Soud Kadio, Shaffi Kajuna, a journalist with Clouds Media and Benedict Kadege, who works with a media house, but runs a company known as Shadaka Spot.
There are John Lusingu, a website designer, a famous radio presenter with Clouds Media, Michael Mlingwa, a photographer and businessman Antony Luvanda, alias MC Luvanda and a Kawe resident, Heriel Clemence.
Before two magistrates in different court chambers, all accused denied the charges.
The prosecution had alleged that on diverse dates between May 17, 2013 and May 2, 2019, in various places in Dar es Salaam, through their online TV known as Pilipili TV, MC Pilipili and Clemence provided online content without a licence issued by TCRA.
The Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court was also told that on diverse dates between January 2016 and April 30, 2019, in various places in the city, through his online TV known as Warioba TV, MC Warioba provided online content without a licence issued by TCRA.
It was alleged that Kajuna and Kadege provided online content without a licence through their online TV bearing their names.
The court heard that Mlingwa maintained and used two websites-www.slide visuals.com and www.mxcarter. com-which were non-dot-tz country code top level domain.
The prosecution alleged that Lusingu maintained and used a website-www.magazetini.com-, which was nondot-tz country code top level domain, while Luvanda and Home of Events Company Limited illegally maintained and used two websiteswww.mcluvanda.com and www.tonyinspirationltalk. com. Such websites, according to the prosecution, are non-dot-tz country code top level domain.
The prosecution alleged that Luvanda and Home of Events Company Limited, through their online MC Luvanda, provided online content without a licence issued by TCRA.
It was further alleged that Kadio, through an online television known as Shilawadu TV, provided online content without a licence issued by the regulatory authority.
