Woman comes back from prison to find everyone and everything at home gone

Iringa. When Maria Ngoda was released from prison, it was a joyous moment, for she knew she would reunite with her family. However, that is not what awaited her at home.

Maria was recently released from prison after three months of serving what was to be a 22-year term for poaching.

A resident of Iringa, she was arrested with 12 pieces of antelope meat and later convicted for 22 years behind bars. Her sentencing raised questions, with some saying that the punishment did not match the alleged crime.

If she had served the sentence, Maria, who is now 50 years old, would have been released from prison at the age of 72.

Narrating the day she arrived at home from prison, Maria says she was shocked to find no one around. But that wasn't the only thing that was missing.

"I haven't found a bed, a mattress, or dishes, and worst of all, my children have all left. My daughter, who was studying Form Two at Mlandege Secondary School, had to go to Dar es Salaam to be a housemaid because she lacked support. I was everything to my children,” Maria narrates.

Maria says her husband died in 2016, leaving her with four children: three daughters and one son.

However, when she was in jail, one of her daughters got married, and another, who was in school, had to go do domestic work so that she could get money to keep life going.

Maria says that since she is now a free woman, she will continue doing small businesses so that she can take her daughter back to continue with her studies.