Court issues stern warning to Chadema MPs
Dar es Salaam. Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court has today set free four Members of Parliament from the main opposition party Chadema, who were detained since the weekend for allegedly jumping bail.
Delivering the decision Kisutu principal resident magistrate Mr Thomas Simba said he had decided to release the MPs although the court isn’t satisfied by the evidences produced by the accused as to why they failed to appear in the court on Friday 15, 2019, where they are facing seditious charges.
Magistrate Simba, however, issued a stern warning to the four Members of Parliament-Mr John Heche (Tarime rural), Halima Mdee (Kawe), Esther Bulaya (Bunda Urban) and Reverend Peter Msigwa (Iringa).
The Magistrate insisted that the court wouldn’t entertain such kind of behaviour in the future because it prolongs the case proceedings. The case was adjourned to November 26.
“Withdrawing the bail for the four would be too harsh although the evidence they provided (as to why they failed to appear before the court) is too weak,” said Mr Simba.
The four along with five other Chadema leaders- party’s chairman Mr Freeman Mbowe , Secretary General Dr Vincent Masinji, Deputy Secretary General for Zanzibar Salum Mwalimu; Kibamba MP, John Mnyika (Kibamba-Chadema).-are facing sedition case number 112/2018.
They are facing 13 charges including plotting violence, holding an illegal gathering, sowing the seeds of hatred, fermenting the condition of discontent, sedition and incitement between February 1 and 16, 2018 in Dar es Salaam.
