Dar es Salaam – The treason trial of CHADEMA national chairperson Tundu Lissu pivoted from political confrontation to complex forensic testimony on Thursday, as the prosecution presented a third police witness—a digital forensics expert—following the completion of a cross-examination that left the previous state witness visibly exhausted.
The day’s proceedings saw the dramatic exit of Inspector John Kaaya and the entrance of a new witness who began detailing a highly technical process for analyzing the video evidence at the heart of the case.
The session began with Mr Lissu concluding his cross-examination of Inspector Kaaya. In a final series of questions, Lissu pressed the witness on his claim that the controversial video contained “300 comments,” asking if he had provided any evidence to substantiate this number. The Inspector admitted he had not.
Lissu then systematically questioned Kaaya about his knowledge of Tanzania’s electoral history, citing specific instances where thousands of opposition candidates were disqualified from local and parliamentary elections in 2019 and 2020.
He referenced reports from international observer missions, including the African Union, European Union, and Commonwealth, that have criticised the disqualification of opposition candidates.
READ MORE: Lissu Accuses State of Being ‘Worse than Colonialism’ as Tanzania Deports German, US Observers
To nearly every question about election statistics and observer reports, Inspector Kaaya repeatedly answered Sifahamu (I don’t know), Sikumbuki (I don’t remember), or Sina takwimu (I don’t have the statistics).
This reinforced Lissu’s long-standing argument that the witness, and by extension the state’s case, lacked a foundational understanding of the political context of his speech.
Following the cross-examination, State Attorney Nassor Katuga began a re-examination, attempting to rehabilitate the witness’s credibility. However, the effort was brief and appeared strained.
When Katuga asked why the Inspector had not brought his police notebook to court, Lissu objected, and the judges disallowed the question, calling it “new matter.”
After a short and seemingly unproductive session, Katuga abruptly ended the re-examination, stating, Your Honours, I pray we end here. Inspector Kaaya was then excused from the stand, leaving the courtroom appearing visibly exhausted.
READ MORE: Lissu Exposes Police Witness’s Contradictions, Grills Credibility in Tense Treason Trial
The prosecution immediately called its third witness, Samwel Elibariki Kaaya, a Police Inspector and digital forensics expert attached to the Forensic Science Commission’s photography unit. In a sharp contrast to the previous witness, Samwel Kaaya presented himself as a highly qualified technician.
Led by State Attorney Thawabu Issa, he detailed an extensive educational background, including: a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology; diplomas in IT and Accounting; and specialised forensic training in South Africa and India on video analysis, CCTV forensics, and facial recognition.
He then began a detailed, methodical explanation of the standard operating procedures his unit follows when analysing digital evidence.
His testimony, which will continue on Friday, covered initial steps like: registering evidence in a laboratory book (PF113) to maintain a chain of custody; the “FIFO” (First In, First Out) processing system; advanced analytical techniques like Meta Data Analysis and Chron Analysis to detect “deep fakes” and digital manipulation using Artificial Intelligence.
READ MORE: Tundu Lissu Turns Tables, Grills Police Witness on Treason Law and Political History
The court adjourned in the afternoon to allow the witness to continue his detailed testimony the following day.The trial will resume on Friday, October 17, 2025, at 9:00 AM, where the forensics expert is expected to delve deeper into his analysis of the specific video evidence against Mr. Lissu, shifting the trial into a more technical phase.
