AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court has rejected the prosecution’s request to issue an arrest warrant against opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing sedition cases, but warned him to attend the next session scheduled for December 3, 2020.
Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba gave the former Singida East Constituency’s Member of Parliament (MP) and presidential candidate (Chadema) more time to attend court sessions as required.
Before reaching such a decision, one of Lissu’s sureties, Mr Ibrahim Ahmed, told the court that before yesterday’s session he had informed the accused to appear before the Dar es Salaam Court.
“He (Lissu) just responded sawa (OK),” the surety said. It was at that point in time that State Attorney Grace Mwanga pressed for the arrest warrant. In his short ruling, however, the principal resident magistrate said, “I will not issue the arrest warrant today. I give him (Lissu) time to reconsider his position. I will consider the request in the next session if he fails to attend.”
Lissu, who is currently Vice-Chairman of Chadema, is charged jointly with three other accused persons with publishing seditious material in Mawio newspaper dated January 14, 2016 relating to the re-run of the general election in Zanzibar.
In the case, Lissu is charged alongside two seasoned journalists Simon Mkina and Jabir Yunus, as well as businessman and printer Ismail Mehbood.
The charges they are facing include conspiracy to publish a seditious publication, publishing and printing a seditious publication and printing a newspaper without submission of an affidavit.
They are charged with an alternative count of intimidation to the charge of publishing seditious publication.
It is alleged that between January 12 and 14, 2016, in an unknown place in the city, Yunus, Mkina and Lissu conspired to publish a seditious publication.
According to the prosecution, the publication bears the title “Machafuko yaja Zanzibar,” in the newspaper namely Mawio dated January 14, 2016.
There are two other sedition cases against Lissu, which came for mention yesterday.
One of the cases is before Resident Magistrate Kasssian Matembele, where the ex-MP is facing five counts of uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings and raising discontent and ill-will for unlawful purposes.
Such offences, according to the prosecution, are alleged to have been committed on January 11, 2017 at Kombeni in Magharibi B District in Mjini Magharibi Region in Zanzibar during the Dimani Constituency election campaign assembly.
There is a case before Senior Resident Magistrates Augustina Mbando under which Lissu is charged with hate speech, an offence which is alleged to have been committed on July 17, 2017 at Ufipa in Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam.
Lissu is accused of issuing several abusive words against the fifth phase government, led by President John Magufuli that it is a racial, ethnic, regional and religious racist government, words which having regard to all circumstances are likely to incite hatred.
There is another case before Senior Resident Magistrate in Charge Godfrey Isaya, which comes up for mention on November 30, 2020.
In this case, the prosecution accuses the then MP of committing the offences on August 2, 2016, at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates’ Court.
It is alleged that with intent to bring into hatred to the citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania against the president, Lissu uttered seditious words, allegedly implicating the Head of State as a dictator.
The prosecution also charges the former lawmaker of uttering seditious words saying, “kesi na mashitaka yenyewe ni ya kipuuzi puuzi na (….).” It is alleged that, with intent to show disrespect of the court, Lissu uttered words, “siwezi kufungwa…. kesi na mashitaka yenyewe ni ya kipuuzi.”
