Mdee recounts how the tables turned on her

Dar es Salaam. Chadema’s candidate for the Kawe constituency, Ms Halima Mdee, yesterday recounted how the tables were turned on her when she went to the police station to report an incident of suspicious people following her.

She explained that upon reaching a police station, instead of her matter being investigated, she was put in custody over allegations that she was in possession of equipment that interfered with the communication systems of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA).

On Friday, her lawyer Edson Kilatu told reporters that after Mdee arrived at Mbweni Police Station to report some people who had desperately wanted to rent a house next to hers, she was put under arrest.

He said after remanding her, police officers went to search her house on the grounds that she was in possession of sound tracking equipment that interfered with communication contrary to the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority Act.

He noted that after searching Mdee’s house they left with her together with a laptop for further interrogation before she was released on bail.

Earlier, Ms Mdee told Mwananchi that recently some people wanted to rent an unfinished building next to her house. She narrated further that the ‘assailants’ probably wanted to fix some equipment that they could use to monitor her movements including all those who entered her house.

“The first time they came they promised the person Sh600,000 when he declined they left and returned a few days later and raised the fee to Sh1 million which he also refused and informed my security man of their intention,” said Ms Mdee.

Ms Mdee said following the incident and suspect cars that have been following her wherever she went, she decided to report the matter to the police with the hope that they would interrogate the security man to know the culprits but the tables were turned on her instead.

“At the police station I was put under custody and told to wait for directives, I tried telling them I was there to report an incident I suspected to be illegal but instead I was interrogated and later told to wait,” she said.

She explained that after having filed her report she was put under custody for three hours and when she told them she wanted to go do her campaigns she was informed she was under police custody that a complaint had been lodged against her for possessing sound tracking equipment that interfere with national communications systems.

She noted that later on a team from Oysterbay police station arrived and informed her they had a house search warrant against her.

Contacted Kinondoni Police Commander Edward Bukombe said it was the norm that when they suspect any person they must investigate to satisfy themselves. “The police received information which we are working on while she is out on bail,” he said.