TANZANIA has kept engraving its name on the rock of torture, oppression and humiliation of its critics and opponents, this time by taking to court the leader of opposition party Freeman Mbowe, charging him with terrorism.
Mbowe was yesterday arraigned in the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, Dar es Salaam, facing two unbailable charges – terrorism and financing for carrying out terrorist acts.
After having been under policy custody for over 100 hours, he was secretly taken to court, with his lawyers unaware.
SAUTI KUBWA received information and became the first media outlet to report Mbowe’s whereabouts; Oysterbay Police Station, Dar es Salaam, after the Police Force hid his whereabouts since his forcibly arrest last Wednesday while asleep at a hotel in Mwanza.
Reading the charge sheet, Senior State Attorney, Ester Martin assisted by Tulimanywa Majigo, before the Chief Resident Magistrate, Thomas Simba, said that defendant Mbowe was brought before the court to be joined by three other defendants facing terrorism charges. The other three were brought at the same court in 2020.
Mbowe is alleged to have conspired to commit terrorist offenses between May and August 2020 at the Aishi Hotel in Kilimanjaro Region including burning fuel stations and public rallies using explosives.
In the second offense, Mbowe is accused of providing funds for financing terrorism in violation of the Terrorism Offenses Act and the case has been adjourned until August 5, 2021.
The state’s attorney has told the court that the investigation into the case has been completed, ready for submission to the High Court of Tanzania.
