Zitto party official faults JPM, defends lawyers
ACT Ideology and Publicity Secretary Ado Shaibu told journalists in the city yesterday that the order in the Head of State’s speech at the Law Day event recently was against the principles of rule of law.
What you need to know:
- ACT Ideology and Publicity Secretary Ado Shaibu told journalists in the city yesterday that the order in the Head of State’s speech at the Law Day event recently was against the principles of rule of law.
Dar es Salaam. ACT-Wazalendo party has opposed President John Magufuli’s order to arrest lawyers who defend suspects with evidence apparently incriminating them.
ACT Ideology and Publicity Secretary Ado Shaibu told journalists in the city yesterday that the order in the Head of State’s speech at the Law Day event recently was against the principles of rule of law.
“The court is a temple of justice. No one should fear to enter it to get his or her legal redress. Also, having a lawyer is an essence of the rule of law, which Tanzanians should enjoy,” said Mr Shaibu, whose party leader is prominent lawmaker and politician Kabwe Zitto.
He said that lawyers’ duties were guided by the country’s Constitution and laws which give suspects the right to get either a private or a public lawyer.
President Magufuli on Thursday last week urged courts to immediate send to jail suspects arrested with evidence that incriminate them, adding that even lawyers who defend them should be jailed as well.
He then insisted that even the lawyer who stands to defend them should face troubles.
“You have arrested someone with ivory on his hand, what evidence do you need to prove the man is real culprit? Why we should listen to a lawyer who trying to defend a culprit,” he questioned law practitioners last week when marking law day.
He then said that both should be arrested, the suspect and the lawyer.
