New twist in missing Udom student saga

Dar es Salaam. The main opposition Chadema Youth Council (Bavicha) has asked the administration of the University of Dodoma (Udom) and the police to explain the whereabouts of the varsity’s missing student, Mugaya Tungu.

Reports about the missing of the third-year student taking Bachelor of Science in Physics went viral in the social media since Wednesday, saying he was arrested by police on Tuesday after being found taking photos of people in a long queue for water at the institution.

Tungu was arrested inside his room in the Udom area and whisked away to Chimwaga Police Station for questioning.

Reports have it that when fellow students followed up the matter at the police station they were told he had been released on bail. Since then, his whereabouts remained a mystery and his mobile phone can not be reached.

Yesterday Udom Vice Chancellor Prof Faustine Bee issued a public statement, saying the student was arrested by the police over three difference cybercrime offences but was later released on bail.

“The three accusations he is facing have no connection in any way with water problem at the university,” the statement read in part.

Yesterday, Bavicha deputy chair Moza Mushi said ‘something was being concealed about the missing student’, as he appealed to the police to cooperate with the Udom administration to explain the whereabouts of the student.

“We strongly condemn the action of the varsity administration as well the police in Dodoma Region for not speaking the truth about where this student is after his arrest.

“A follow-up was made at the police station from where information was given that he had been bailed out by a person whom they did not name. Since then he has neither been seen nor his whereabouts known and his phone is not reachable. We ask the police to explain who bailed him out?” he asked.

He went on: “Even if Mugaya was the one who took the photos, still he had the right of expressing his feelings, after all, there was no law that barred him from taking photos because the pictures that were taken did not show any government office”. Dodoma Regional Police Commander Gilles Muroto told The Citizen on Wednesday that he had no information about the student’s arrest.

Udom’s student government secretary, Paschal Michael says he had no information about the missing student, but admitted knowing him.