THE High Court of Tanzania, Sumbawanga Zone, has pronounced separate 18-year jail verdicts on three people, after finding them guilty of conspiracy to murder and a murder attempt.
They are Andius Songoroka, Mihambwe Kamata and Ureta Shingi Kawilu. Cosmas Songoroka was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence. The same court slapped an eight-year jail term on a mason from Mbozi in Songwe Region, Sajenti Kalinga, after pleading guilty to possessing the right hand of an albino.
Delivering the ruling, the trial Judge in Charge, Mr John Mgeta, said the three accused were found guilty of three accounts of maiming, conspiring to murder and attempting to kill the albino, Baraka Cosmas.
The prosecution had alleged that on April 26, 2015, at Malonji area in Mbozi District, Songwe Region, Sajenti was caught with Baraka’s right hand, which he had wrapped in a bag and hung on a branch of a mango tree.
It was further alleged that upon seeing his husband under police arrest and learning of the circumstances under which he had been arrested, his wife collapsed.
The court was further told that the trio committed the crime on March, 08, 2014 at Kikonde area at Kipeta village along the Lake Rukwa Basin in Sumbawanga District.
They were alleged to have chopped off the albino’s hand and fled.
The prosecution side was led by State Attorney Mr Njoloyota Mwashubira assisted by Ms Happiness Mayunde while the defence side had three advocates.
The victim currently lives in the United States of America. The defence side had four advocates — Baltazar Chambi, Charles Kasuku, and Mathia Budodi.
