Corpun file 19161

Daily News, Dar es Salaam, 1 May 2007

Migori resident gets 5 years jail term

By Correspondent in Iringa

A RESIDENT of Migori in Iringa region, Fedi Matembwe, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane after being found guilty of assault with intent to steal.

The ruling was delivered by Iringa High Court Judge Frederick Werema after the accused had twice appealed against a ruling by the primary court at Mtera and later the district court which had sentenced him to 7 and 15 years jail terms; respectively.

Following his dissatisfaction of the ruling by the district court, Mr Matembwe appealed against the rulings in the High court which convicted him of the offence and sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane.

In his judgement, Justice Werema said that the issue was not on whether Matembwe had stolen the phone or not since he was identified by the complainant as the person who snatched his cellular phone worth 85,000/-.

Judge Werema further said after the complainant had notified the police of the incident, they went to the assailant's house and found the said phone.

Meanwhile, the High Court in Iringa has set free Lessa Msigwa who was sentenced to 15 years in jail after it was satisfied that the evidence adduced in court was not sufficient to convict him.

The decision was reached by Judge Werema who said that the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Msigwa was involved in an armed robbery.

Msigwa and another suspect, Bartazar Mbangala, were convicted of the offence by a district court and the former was sentenced to 15 years in prison while the latter was set free.

Copyright @TSN 2006 All Rights Reserved

Corpun file 19156

Daily News, Dar es Salaam, 18 May 2007

Bukoba residents jailed 30 years

By Meddy Mulisa in Bukoba

THREE residents of Bukoba were yesterday sentenced to 30 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane each after they were convicted of being in unlawful possession of firearms.

Before the court were Fadhil Kajuna (28), Godwin Revelian (22) and Mohamed Angelo (35),all residents of Kashai Matopeni, in Bukoba Municipality.

The fourth accused, Bahati Mbelege (30), a taxi driver, was acquitted by the court for lack of sufficient evidence against him.

Prosecuting Police Inspector Shaweji Alawi, told Resident Magistrate Wilbard Mashauri that on May 29, last year the three accused were intercepted at Buhembe village as they were heading for Bugabo area for purposes of committing a crime.

He told the court that the accused had hired Mbelege in his taxi and upon being searched they were found in possession of a sub-machine gun with 17 rounds of ammunition.

The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecution called a total of six witnesses to establish its case against the accused.

Before passing the sentence, Magistrate Mashauri noted that he was satisfied with the evidence submitted by the prosecution.

He convicted Kajuna, Revelian and Angelo and sentenced them to fifteen years imprisonment for each count. He also ordered them to be caned 12 strokes. The sentences will run concurrently.  

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