Arusha. The High Court, Songea –Sub Registry, has sentenced Deo Ramadhani to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering Melania Christian and abandoning her body along Mahinya Road, in Songea, Ruvuma Region.
The murder reportedly occurred on July 1, 2023, when the body was discovered covered with a khanga in Mlilayoyo Village, Namtumbo District, Ruvuma Region.
The sentence was handed down on March 26, 2026, by Judge Emmanuel Kawishe, with a copy of the ruling posted on the court’s website.
Judge Kawishe said that after hearing all the evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence, the court was satisfied that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
During the trial, the prosecution called 15 witnesses and submitted various exhibits to support the charge.
According to the indictment, Mr Deo Ramadhani allegedly killed Melania on July 1, 2023, after attacking her at her farm.
The incident reportedly involved acts of cruelty, including rape before and after the murder.
Witnesses described the circumstances of the attack in detail. Evidence indicated that the deceased left home for the farm but did not return, prompting concern from her family.
The following day, her body was discovered by the roadside, covered with a khanga.
The fourth witness, the deceased’s child, said that on the day of the incident, their mother left for the farm and did not return, prompting them to wait until late at night before deciding to go out.
He said that the next day he went to search for his mother at the farm and, en route, found her body by the roadside, seeking help from the fifth witness to report it to the police.
The sixth witness, a doctor who examined the body, said there was a spinal injury and that the deceased had been strangled.
The 10th witness, who recorded the accused’s warning statement in the magistrate’s court, said the accused admitted to raping and killing the woman while she was harvesting maize and indicated where he left her body by the roadside.
Preliminary investigations at the scene revealed signs of a struggle, along with a key exhibit, an undergarment allegedly belonging to the deceased.
The police officer stated that the accused admitted involvement in this and other incidents of rape and murder.
In his defence, Mr Ramadhani denied involvement in the killings, claiming he was forced by police to confess and had no connection with the deceased.
He added that he was illiterate and had signed documents without knowing their contents.
Court decision
The court began by noting it was the prosecution’s duty to prove the murder charge beyond reasonable doubt.
It was observed that there was no direct evidence of seeing the accused commit the act, so the decision relied on circumstantial evidence.
The court said such evidence must form a complete chain of events pointing directly to the accused’s guilt, leaving no other reasonable explanation.
Analysing the evidence, the court noted that although some exhibits, such as the undergarment, could not be scientifically proven to belong to the deceased, other evidence continued to link the accused to the incident.
Testimony from witnesses about the body’s discovery and condition helped establish the circumstances, though it alone was insufficient to convict.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Kawishe said there was no evidence that the accused was forced to give his statements.
The court emphasised that, while no one directly witnessed the murder, the circumstantial evidence formed a complete chain clearly showing that the accused committed the act.
The court noted that circumstantial evidence can be used to convict if it presents an unbroken sequence of events pointing to guilt without leaving room for doubt.
After reviewing all the evidence, the court concluded the prosecution had proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt and that the accused acted with malice and intentionality.
The court sentenced Mr Deo Ramadhani to death by hanging, having found him guilty of murder contrary to the law.
