According to his lawyer, Hekima Mwasipu, Mwambe was being interrogated over allegations of planning to assassinate the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Dar es Salaam. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday, December 15, 2025, struck out a bail application filed by former minister Geofrey Mwambe after he was released on police bail.
The application was withdrawn after the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone released Mwambe, who had been in custody over criminal allegations.
According to his lawyer, Hekima Mwasipu, Mwambe was being interrogated over allegations of planning to assassinate the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Despite his release, Mwasipu said police have added a second allegation against his client, alongside claims of online incitement.
Mwambe, who has previously served as Manyoni District Commissioner, Director of the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC), Member of Parliament for Masasi in Mtwara Region, and later Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office for Investment as well as Minister for Industry and Trade, had been held by police since December 7, 2025.
On December 11, 2025, through his lawyer, Mwambe filed an urgent bail application against the Inspector General of Police and two others, arguing that he had been detained unlawfully for more than 24 hours without being taken to court.
Other respondents in the case were the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Criminal Investigation Officer (ZCO).
In the application, numbered 289778/2025, Mwambe asked the court to order that he be produced before it and granted bail under conditions set by the court.
The case was scheduled for hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Monday before Chief Resident Magistrate Gwantwa Mwankuga, but it did not proceed after the court was informed that Mwambe had already been released on police bail.
State Attorney Titus Aron told the court that Mwambe was released on police bail on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Lawyer Mwasipu confirmed the development and asked the court to strike out the application.
“Your Honour, the applicant was released on police bail yesterday morning. In the circumstances, we request that the application be withdrawn,” Mwasipu said.
The court granted the request and formally struck out the case.
Earlier, on December 12, 2025, the Dar es Salaam Special Police Zone Commander, Jumanne Muliro, confirmed that Mwambe was being held over criminal allegations that were still under investigation.
Police said Mwambe was arrested on the night of December 7, 2025, at Tegeta in Dar es Salaam.
Lawyer speaks on interrogation and allegations
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Mwasipu said that when Mwambe was arrested, he was questioned over allegations of online incitement and later interrogated over claims that he was planning to assassinate the Inspector General of Police.
“The allegations he is facing are two. First, he is accused of planning to assassinate the Inspector General of Police, though details have not been disclosed. The second allegation is online incitement, which has also not been clearly explained,” Mwasipu said.
He added that police investigations are ongoing and that Mwambe has been ordered to report again to the ZCO office next Tuesday.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the bail application, Mwambe was arrested at his residence in Tegeta, Kinondoni District, on the night of December 7, 2025, by people who identified themselves as police officers.
After his arrest, he was taken to Mbweni Police Station, where he was questioned. He was later transferred to Central Police Station under the supervision of the ZCO, where he was interrogated again, including over the alleged plot to assassinate the IGP.
The affidavit states that Mwambe was later taken into custody at Kigamboni Police Station.
On December 8, 2025, lawyer Mwasipu visited him at Kigamboni Police Station, where Mwambe complained of mistreatment and being denied bail, which he said is his constitutional right.
The affidavit argues that the law requires a suspect to be taken to court within 24 hours of arrest, but that Mwambe had been held for more than four days without being produced before a court or granted bail.
It adds that Mwambe has constitutional rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and bail, and that continued detention without lawful justification caused him serious harm.
In the certificate of urgency, Mwasipu stated that the matter required immediate attention because Mwambe had been detained unlawfully without being taken to court or granted police bail.
He further claimed that the continued detention caused more harm than benefit, noting that Mwambe is not a violent person and has no history of using force.
Mwasipu also said that at one point Mwambe was transferred from Kigamboni Police Station to an unknown location, raising concerns about his whereabouts.
