Alfred Zacharia is a business reporter for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers.
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Dodoma. A Dodoma resident has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of rape and sodomy, while two other people convicted of rape have each been jailed for 30 years, Dodoma Regional Police Commander Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Gallus Hyera said on Monday.
The convictions were among 12 cases that resulted in prison sentences during a wider crime crackdown in Dodoma, in which police arrested 418 suspects between August 12 and September 7, according to a statement issued by Mr Hyera.
Police did not provide the identities of those convicted or details of the cases that led to the sentences.
The statement said one person convicted of livestock theft was sentenced to five years in prison, while another convicted of causing bodily injuries received a five-year sentence.
A person convicted of careless driving was sentenced to two years, while six other defendants received various prison terms, according to Mr Hyera.
Police also arrested one suspect in connection with an alleged rape case during the operations.
418 suspects arrested
The 418 arrests were made in different parts of Dodoma in connection with various offences, Mr Hyera said.
Of those arrested, 118 were allegedly found in possession of various items, including 46.805 kilogrammes of mirungi, three kilogrammes of cannabis, 39 drums of diesel, 24 boxes of ceramic tiles, 15 containers of rice and 127 chickens.
Police also recovered five litres of illicit liquor, 30 pieces of pangolin scales, four gas cookers, five electric fans, an aluminium-processing machine and four car batteries valued at Sh1.8 million.
Other items seized included two 5,000-litre water tanks, 26 feature phones, five Hisense television sets, a Dell laptop, two computers, two smartphones, two radios, a power bank, a blender, a refrigerator, two shaving machines and two wristwatches.
Police also seized 45 motorcycles, including 31 Haojue, 10 Boxer, one Toyo and three Sinoray motorcycles.
In another development, Police said 16 suspects were arrested over alleged damage to infrastructure along the Dodoma Ring Road, while seven others were held over alleged environmental offences.
Four suspects were arrested in connection with alleged murder, while four others were held over alleged witchcraft-related offences.
Police also reported the arrest of two suspects over alleged child abuse and two over livestock theft.
A further 41 suspects were arrested over alleged burglary, while 211 others were detained in connection with other offences.
Police did not state how many of the 418 suspects had been formally charged in court.
Meanwhile, Dodoma traffic police recorded 15,018 traffic offences during the same period.
Three drivers had their licences suspended for three months, while another was suspended for three years over offences including careless driving resulting in an accident, carrying excess passengers and speeding.
Ten drivers were taken to court over traffic-related offences, Mr Hyera said.
The traffic unit also conducted road-safety education in schools, at motorcycle taxi gathering points and at bus terminals.
Mr Hyera urged residents to report suspected criminal activity promptly and cooperate with authorities to maintain peace and security.
