THE ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has decided to pay the 30m/- fine for Dr Vicent Mashinji to rescue him from spending behind bars for five months for rioting and unlawful assembly.
CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary Humphrey Polepole arrived this morning at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam to make some arrangements for the payments.
He was accompanied by several other ruling party leaders and members from Dar es Salaam region.
Speaking to reporters, Polepole said that, as the party, they have been satisfied with the verdict and justice has been done.
He pointed out that the conviction involved not only opposition leaders, but also CCM member.
On the other hand, Dr Mashinji’s wife, Happiness Mashinji, thanked the ruling party members, who raised money to foot the fine imposed on his husband.
Mashinji becomes the first among nine convicts to pay the fine in question after they were convicted of the charges by Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba.
Other convicts are National Chairman Freeman Mbowe, John Mnyika, the newly elected Secretary General and Salum Mwalimu, who is Deputy Secretary General (Zanzibar).
Others are Peter Msigwa (Member of Parliament (MP) for Iringa Urban, Halima Mdee, the MP for Kawe, John Heche, the MP for Tarime Rural and Ester Bulaya, who is MP for Bunda Urban as well as the MP for Tarime Urban, Ester Matiko.
The Magistrate convicted them of 12 out of 13 sedition, incitement, rioting and unlawful assembly charges after the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubts.
He sentenced the to pay a total of 350m/= fine or go to jail for 60 months cumulatively.
According to the judgment, Mbowe is to pay 70m/=, Mdee 40m/-, Heche 40m/-, Msigwa 40m/-, Bulaya 40m/-, while Matiko, Mwalimu, Mnyika and Mashinji are to pay fine of 30m/- each, thus making a total of 350m/-.
