JPM pardons Babu Seya

        Dodoma/Dar. President John Magufuli yesterday pardoned famous musician Nguza Viking alias Babu Seya, and his son, Johnson, a.k.a Papii Kocha, who had both been jailed for life after being found guilty of defiling 10 primary schoolgirls.

The two walked free out of Ukonga Prison gates at around 6pm yesterday.

Fans, family members and fellow musicians had gathered to welcome the duo. As the two emerged, the gathering broke into cheers chanting “Babu, babu, babu…”.

Wearing faces of disbelief both father and son walked out of the prison gate slowly but with steady steps. Their paces increased as they approached the group of fans and family members.

Nguza was wearing a pink shirt and a pair of black trousers while his son, Papii Kocha, was wearing a purple shirt with black stripes and blue jeans. They walked out with their guitars hanging from their shoulders. They immediately headed to a church in Tabata to give thanks to God.

Their lawyer reacts

Advocate Mabere Marando who represented the duo in the second appeal in 2013 said President Magufuli’s pardon came to him as a surprise. “I’m grateful to President Magufuli for pardoning them. I didn’t expect this. I’m very surprised,” said Mr Marando who successfully represented Nguza’s two others sons, Nguza Mbangu and Francis Mbangu, in their 2010 appeal.

Nguza and his three sons were found guilty of sodomy and defilement by the Kisutu Magistrate Court in 2004 and were sentenced to life improvement. The conviction of Nguza and Papii Kocha was upheld in the two appeals in 2010 and 2013.

The musician’s case attracted a lot of public attention and speculations that it was politically motivated.

Chadema presidential candidate Edward Lowassa promised to pardon them if he won the 2015 General Election. He lost the election, which was won by Dr Magufuli of CCM, who yesterday surprised many by announcing during independence celebrations that he was pardoning the duo.

President Magufuli also pardoned 1,000 other prisoners, among them 61 who had been on death row who are aged. “Some of the prisoners on death row are aged over 80 years and have served their sentences for over 40 years,” President Magufuli said, amidst cheers from the public.

President Magufuli also ordered that sentences of 6,000 others will be reduced.

The Congolese-born Viking, who has lived in Tanzania for years, was jailed with his three sons after being found guilty of defiling school girls aged between 6 and 8 year old, from Mashujaa Primary School in 2003.

Mr Nguza and his three sons were arrested in October 12, 2003 at their house, in Sinza close to the school where the schoolgirls were studying.