Man acquitted of Ulimboka torture, attempted murder
Joshua Mulundi leaves the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday following his acquittal. PHOTO | VENANCE NESTORY
What you need to know:
- The accused appeared before resident magistrate Aloyce Katemana of the same court where he was charged with giving false information to police.
Dar es Salaam. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped kidnapping and attempted murder charges against Kenyan national Joshua Mulundi.
Mr Mulundi was arraigned in July last year, on charges of kidnapping Dr Steven Ulimboka, torturing and dumping him at Mabwepande forest in Dar es Salaam.
The case which was before resident magistrate Warialwande Lema was heard yesterday so as know whether the investigation was complete or not after the court issued the last adjournment on July 15.
However, state attorney Beatha Kitau informed the court that the DPP had no further intention of prosecuting the accused on the charges.
“The DPP asked to withdraw the charges under section 91(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).”
Magistrate Lema agreed and released the accused who was re-arrested after a short time and charged afresh with another case.
The accused appeared before resident magistrate Aloyce Katemana of the same court where he was charged with giving false information to police.
According to prosecution led by senior state attorney Tumaini Kweka, the accused gave false information to police officers that he and his accomplices were hired to abduct and kill Dr Ulimboka while it was false.
The accused allegedly committed the offence on July 3 last year at Osterbay Police Station in Kinondoni, contrary to Section 122 of the Penal Code Cap 16 Revised Edition 2002. The accused denied the charges, and the prosecution informed the court that investigations of the case had been completed.
The attorney asked the court to set another date for mentioning the case so as to give them a chance to prepare facts before conducting the preliminary hearing. The court adjourned the case to August 20 and ordered the accused to stay in remand prison after failing to meet bail conditions. He was required to secure two reliable sureties one of them from a recognised institution who would sign a bond of Sh5 million each.
Last year, Mr Mulundi appeared in court shortly after police said they were holding a Kenyan national in connection with the kidnapping and torture of Dr Ulimboka, head of a doctors’ committee that has been locked in a dispute over pay and working conditions with the government for months.
