Tanzania’s LHRC to seek bail for its arrested officer
Dar es Salaam. Legal and Human Rights Center (LHRC) has on Sunday, December 22, 2019 said it will use legal and judicial procedures to demand granting of bail to arrested center’s Public Affairs officer, Tito Magoti.
Mr Magoti, 26, was on Friday, around 10:00 am at Mwenge area in Kinondoni District, at the Sam Nujoma and Bagamoyo Roads intersection forcefully taken by unknown people, as he was coming from Kimara, where he lives.
Pressure from human rights activists, opposition political parties and human rights defenders mounted on social media leading to the launching of an online campaign dubbed #FreeTitoMagoti.
The six men on plain clothes confronted the young lawyer soon after getting off a motorcycle taxi commonly known as bodaboda, handcuffed and bundled him into a milky Toyota Harrier and disappeared with him into a place which has since remained unknown.
But, hours later, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Mr Lazaro Mambosasa issued a statement refuting abduction claims leveled, saying he had been arrested alongside three other people.
“They are in the safe hands of law enforcers. They are being interrogated over crime charges at a police station,” he said in a statement without disclosing the police station where he has been kept or charges facing.
However, addressing journalists on Sunday, December 22, 2019, LHRC executive director Mr Anna Henga said laws governing the country provide suspects to be liable to bail or face charges at the court within 24 hours of the arrest.
“Mr Tito has spent 48 hours in custody which will increase by end of the day. He was supposed to be granted bail because it is his right. We will therefore use legal and judicial procedures for him to be bailed,” she said.
She said LHRC visited almost all major police stations in the Kinondoni Region, but in vein.
“On the human rights context, this is a very bad incident because if this is happening to a human rights advocate, what will be the case to an ordinary citizen?” questioned, Ms Henga.
She reiterated her call that law enforcers should make public a police station at which he is being held, charges he is facing in order avoid unnecessary inconveniences to his family, relatives and friends.
When contacted, Mr Mambosasa said “The police station at which Mr Magoti is being held will remain secret. However, we will issue a statement tomorrow (Monday).”
In a statement issued by Chadema yesterday signed by head of communications department Tumaini Makene said the main opposition party was strongly condemning violation of human rights, laws and principles of good governance by police when executing its duties.
“Police as other government institutions should know that they are not above the law,” reads part of a statement.
