Dar es Salaam. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court has sentenced former Gongolamboto Ward Executive Officer, Mr Dominic Mushi (34), to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering his wife by strangulation.
Mr Mushi killed his wife, Ms Diana Hugo, in an incident that occurred on October 14, 2024, in the Kinyerezi Kichangani area of Ilala District, Dar es Salaam.
Ms Hugo, an employee at NMB Bank’s Airport Branch, was strangled to death by her husband.
Her body was later discovered lying on a bed with blood bleeding from her nose, ears, and mouth.
In a cautionary statement made at Stakishari Police Station, Mr Mushi claimed that his wife's cries for help on the night of the incident were merely night terrors, asserting that she had a habit of making noises in her sleep.
The judgment was delivered on Friday, August 7, 2026, by Principal Resident Magistrate Hassan Makube, who was granted extended jurisdiction to preside over the murder case.
Magistrate Makube stated that the prosecution called 15 witnesses and produced six exhibits to prove the charge against the accused, while the defence relied on a single witness, the accused himself.
Before delivering the sentence, the court examined three key questions: First, whether Ms Hugo had indeed died.
Second, if deceased, whether her death was natural or caused by a person.
"The third issue: if the accused suffered from a mental health condition, was it properly addressed through treatment? Did it cause any impairment, and if he committed the act, was he conscious of his actions?" stated Magistrate Makube.
"After evaluating evidence from both parties, the court is satisfied that Diana died an unnatural death caused by a person (Mr Mushi) following strangulation and asphyxiation," he added.
He emphasised that the principal issue was that the accused caused his wife's death, particularly after the fourth and sixth prosecution witnesses testified that Ms Hugo screamed for help from neighbours. When neighbours went to knock on the door, her husband answered and insisted she was simply dreaming.
"Evidence shows the accused was the last person seen with the deceased; he was best placed to explain what killed Diana," remarked Magistrate Makube.
Analysing key prosecution evidence, Magistrate Makube noted that the fourth witness, a security guard at the premises, testified hearing Ms Hugo cry for help.
Upon arrival, Mr Mushi told him his wife suffered from night terrors.
Following this explanation, the guard returned to his post, but Ms Hugo continued screaming shortly after.
He then phoned another tenant (the sixth witness) to inform him of the distress calls.
The tenant accompanied the guard back to Mr Mushi’s residence and knocked on the door.
Mr Mushi opened it, reiterated that his wife suffered from night terrors, and asked the neighbours to leave his doorstep.
"After assessing the evidence, the court finds the circumstantial evidence points conclusively to Diana being murdered by no one other than her husband," noted Magistrate Makube.
"Accordingly, this court convicts Mr Mushi of murder. As the law prescribes only one penalty for this offence, the court sentences you to hang by the neck until dead," added the magistrate.
