Mbowe likely to rejoin family today
CHADEMA’S National Chairman Freeman Mbowe and five fellow senior party leaders, who are facing sedition charges, are expected today to rejoin their families if they fulfill the bail conditions set by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam last Thursday.
In the last court session, Principal Resident Magistrate Wilbard Mashauri ruled that the accused persons should be bailed out upon meeting certain conditions, including each securing two reliable sureties, who were to sign bonds of 20m/- and present identity letters and cards.
The accused persons, according to the magistrate, were also ordered to report at Central Police Station every Thursday each week. However, none of the accused persons managed to meet the set conditions, as were not brought to the court premises from Segerea Remand Prison.
Prisons authorities informed the court that all remand prisoners from Segerea could not manage to attend their respective court sessions because the motor vehicle that was ferrying them from remand to the court had developed some mechanical problems.
Under such circumstances, the magistrate was forced to deliver his ruling in the absence of the accused persons on objection to bail them presented by the prosecution. After ruling in their favour, the magistrate issued removal orders for the accused persons to be brought today to complete the process.
Mbowe and his co-accused persons were sent to remand on March 27, this year, to allow the magistrate to compose his ruling on the question of bail after their arraignment on eight counts preferred against them by the prosecution.
Other accused persons are Vicent Mashinji (the party’s Secretary General) John Mnyika (Deputy Secretary General - Mainland), Salum Mwalimu (Deputy Secretary General-Zanzibar), Peter Msigwa (Member of Parliament (MP) for Iringa Urban) and Ester Matiko (MP for Tarime Urban).
They are charged with sedition, raising discontent and ill-will for unlawful purposes, unlawful assembly, rioting after proclamation and inciting the commission of offence. All accused persons have denied the charges.
The charge sheet shows that Mbowe alone is facing seven counts; Msaigwa faces three counts, while the rest are facing two counts each. It is alleged by the prosecution that the accused persons committed the offences on February 16, this year, at Kinondoni Mkwajuni and Buibui Grounds in Kinondoni District.
It is alleged that on that day along Kawawa Road at Mkwajuni area, being assembled with intent to carry out a common purpose, all accused persons jointly conducted themselves in such a manner as to cause a fear of breach of peace.
The prosecution claims further that on the same day and place, with more than 12 other persons not in court, having riotously assembled, in disobedience of proclamation given by a police officer, the accused persons failed to disperse and continued to take part in the riot.
Thereby, according to the prosecution, the accused persons breached the peace and terrifying the public culminating in the death of NIT Student, Akwilina Akwiline Baftaa, and injury of two police officers, Police Constable Fikiri and Corporal Rahim Msangi.
It is alleged by the prosecution that on the same day at Buibui grounds, while addressing Kinondoni residents at a the public meeting,Mbowe made four sets of seditious statements that are likely to raise discontent and promote feelings of ill-willamongst the inhabitants of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The prosecution alleged further that the statement made by Mbowe, who is also leader of the opposition camp in Parliament, had the intention of bringing hatred and contempt to the citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania against the lawful authority of the government.
It is alleged further that on the same day at Buibui grounds, Mbowe and Msigwa with other persons who are not in court, jointly incited the residents of Kinondoni District in the city to commit offences of unlawful assembly and going armed in public.
In the last court session, Principal Resident Magistrate Wilbard Mashauri ruled that the accused persons should be bailed out upon meeting certain conditions, including each securing two reliable sureties, who were to sign bonds of 20m/- and present identity letters and cards.
The accused persons, according to the magistrate, were also ordered to report at Central Police Station every Thursday each week. However, none of the accused persons managed to meet the set conditions, as were not brought to the court premises from Segerea Remand Prison.
Prisons authorities informed the court that all remand prisoners from Segerea could not manage to attend their respective court sessions because the motor vehicle that was ferrying them from remand to the court had developed some mechanical problems.
Under such circumstances, the magistrate was forced to deliver his ruling in the absence of the accused persons on objection to bail them presented by the prosecution. After ruling in their favour, the magistrate issued removal orders for the accused persons to be brought today to complete the process.
Mbowe and his co-accused persons were sent to remand on March 27, this year, to allow the magistrate to compose his ruling on the question of bail after their arraignment on eight counts preferred against them by the prosecution.
Other accused persons are Vicent Mashinji (the party’s Secretary General) John Mnyika (Deputy Secretary General - Mainland), Salum Mwalimu (Deputy Secretary General-Zanzibar), Peter Msigwa (Member of Parliament (MP) for Iringa Urban) and Ester Matiko (MP for Tarime Urban).
They are charged with sedition, raising discontent and ill-will for unlawful purposes, unlawful assembly, rioting after proclamation and inciting the commission of offence. All accused persons have denied the charges.
The charge sheet shows that Mbowe alone is facing seven counts; Msaigwa faces three counts, while the rest are facing two counts each. It is alleged by the prosecution that the accused persons committed the offences on February 16, this year, at Kinondoni Mkwajuni and Buibui Grounds in Kinondoni District.
It is alleged that on that day along Kawawa Road at Mkwajuni area, being assembled with intent to carry out a common purpose, all accused persons jointly conducted themselves in such a manner as to cause a fear of breach of peace.
The prosecution claims further that on the same day and place, with more than 12 other persons not in court, having riotously assembled, in disobedience of proclamation given by a police officer, the accused persons failed to disperse and continued to take part in the riot.
Thereby, according to the prosecution, the accused persons breached the peace and terrifying the public culminating in the death of NIT Student, Akwilina Akwiline Baftaa, and injury of two police officers, Police Constable Fikiri and Corporal Rahim Msangi.
It is alleged by the prosecution that on the same day at Buibui grounds, while addressing Kinondoni residents at a the public meeting,Mbowe made four sets of seditious statements that are likely to raise discontent and promote feelings of ill-willamongst the inhabitants of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The prosecution alleged further that the statement made by Mbowe, who is also leader of the opposition camp in Parliament, had the intention of bringing hatred and contempt to the citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania against the lawful authority of the government.
It is alleged further that on the same day at Buibui grounds, Mbowe and Msigwa with other persons who are not in court, jointly incited the residents of Kinondoni District in the city to commit offences of unlawful assembly and going armed in public.
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