Corpun file 15989

The Guardian, Dar es Salaam, 6 June 2005

Robbery earns five 150 years in jail

By Regional reporters

ARUSHA -- Five robbers have been jailed for a total of 150 years in Arusha. The Arusha Resident Magistrate's Court also ordered that the convicts receive a total of 48 strokes of the cane, reports Charles Masayanyika of PST Arusha.

The five, who will each spend 30 years behind bars, are 27-year-old Fadhili Omari, alias Panya, Jumanne Juma, 28, Hemed Swai, 39, Hashim Juma, 30, and Hamisi Rashid, 45.

Passing the sentence, Principal Resident Magistrate Didas Mlay said the evidence against the accused was overwhelming and that the court would not be performing its duties as expected if it did not mete out the maximum punishment for the offence.

The accused appear stunned in the dock when Mlay sentenced each of them to 30 years' imprisonment and some of their relatives wept when judgment was passed.

The accused first appeared in court in August 2002 charged with robbing Salome Laizer of 2m/- in cash and various items valued at 1.6m/- at 3am on August 22, 2002.

The court heard that the accused broke into Laizer's house while armed with guns and pangas and took money and a number of electronic appliances, including a television set, video machine and radio cassette, after threatening to kill her.

The robbers also threatened to kill whoever dared to come to Laizer's assistance.

Four of the accused were also sentenced to receive 12 lashes each, six of which would be administered at the start of their sentences with the remainder being reserved for the day they would complete their sentences. Rashid escaped the punishment on medical grounds.

The convicts were ordered to pay their victim 3.6m/- upon completing their sentences.