DPP vows to act tough against Arusha MP Godbless Lema
What you need to know:
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Biswalo Mganga has on Thursday, March 12, 2020 vowed to act against Arusha Urban Member of Parliament Godbless Lema allegedly for providing false information that 14 people have been beheaded in Singida Region.
Dar es Salaam. The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Buswalo Mganga has today March 12 said his office will act against Arusha Urban MP Godbless Lema for providing false information that 14 people were beheaded in Singida Region.
He said, while attending a funeral of Singida East Province publicity secretary Alex Jonas (Chadema) last month, Mr Lema issued a list of people he claimed to have been beheaded without actions being taken by law enforcement organs.
The DPP said he was forced to recall all the files related to the said incidents in order to establish the truth.
"The files contained no beheading incident. Probably, the MP was using this for personal gains. My office will take action against him for abusing the freedom of speech,” he said.
He added: The freedom of speech provided by the county's Constitution and the Declaration for Human Rights has set restrictions that should be obeyed for the interest of the country’s security.”
However, Mr Mganga did not provide detailed information on the said measures.
He said his analysis in the files found that the said people had been killed at different incidents including those in love triangles, superstition, livestock rustling and one reported road accident.
"All these incidents were reported at different police stations. After investigations, the suspects were charged and several cases are underway at different stages," he said.
He added, "It is therefore wrong to say people were beheaded or nothing has been done by the government and law enforcement organs."
The DPP who went through one file after another during the press conference said he dropped charges facing three suspects due to lack of evidence and that two others were freed on similar grounds after questioning.
He warned politicians for their role in inflicting hate and panic in society.
"Stern measures will be taken against anybody, regardless of party affiliation, race, tribe and position. The public shouldn’t hide in politics in order to commit crimes that abuse rights of others," he said.
Mr Lema was released on bail on March 5, 2020 by police in Singida after being arrested on March 2, 2020 on condition that he should report at the police station on March 24, 2020.
