Dar es Salaam – The High Court in Dar es Salaam was filled with frequent bursts of laughter on Friday, February 13, 2026, as opposition leader Tundu Lissu, continuing his own defence in his treason trial.
Mr Lissu meticulously picked apart the testimony of a secret state witness and a police detective, exposing a mountain of contradictions and prompting moments of high courtroom drama and comedy.
The day’s proceedings saw two witnesses for the prosecution take the stand, and both left with their credibility severely undermined after facing a relentless cross-examination from Mr Lissu.
The first witness, a 24-year-old bodaboda driver from Songea testifying from behind a screen as ‘P6,’ claimed he was inspired to join CHADEMA and participate in a plot to disrupt the 2025 general election after watching a YouTube video of Mr Lissu.
‘The Rock of Kigoma’
He testified that a CHADEMA youth leader, Essau Chiza, also known as Mwamba wa Kigoma, The Rock of Kigoma, had praised his “heroic decision” and added him to a WhatsApp group planning the disruption.
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However, under Mr Lissu’s questioning, the witness’s story unravelled. Mr Lissu had the witness’s original police statement admitted as evidence and then, in a lengthy exchange, forced the witness to admit that at least 20 key details from his testimony were completely absent from the statement he gave to the police.
In a series of questions, Lissu highlighted the inconsistencies in a dialogue that captivated the courtroom:
Tundu Lissu: You said on April 4th you had your Infinix Smart 8 phone. Tell us if that is in your statement?
Witness P6: I don’t understand.
Tundu Lissu: I didn’t ask if you understand it or not. I asked if it’s there or not?
Witness P6: I don’t understand.
After the judge intervened, the dialogue continued with Mr Lissu pressing on another point.
Tundu Lissu: You said you entered the Jambo TV account? Is that in your statement?
Witness P6: It’s not there.
Tundu Lissu: You said I said that if there’s someone who wants to run for a councillor, they should forget it. Is that also in your statement?
Witness P6: The police took it, but I don’t see it in the writing.
Tundu Lissu: Thank you. The police are liars; they stole your words. Let’s continue.
The witness also claimed Mr Lissu had used the phrase “No Reforms, No Election,” which Mr Lissu acknowledged saying frequently, but the witness had to concede that those words were not in his police statement either.
READ MORE:Court Hands Tundu Lissu Partial Victory in Secret Witness Battle, Trial to Proceed
The witness even contradicted himself on his religion, having been sworn in as a Christian while his police statement identified him as a Muslim. The cross-examination was punctuated by light-hearted moments that drew laughter from the gallery.
When the witness admitted that the police had likely made a mistake in recording his statement, Mr Lissu quipped, “Take it easy, being confused by the police,” to which the witness replied, “Thank you very much,” causing another round of chuckles.
At another point, after the witness confirmed that Mr Lissu’s words had inspired him to want to disrupt the election, Mr Lissu remarked wryly, “Oh, congratulations, so you and I had the same idea, except my friend is in the witness box and I’m amazed.”
The ‘non-expert’
The second witness of the day was Detective Corporal Michael from the Kilimanjaro Police. He testified that he had arrested another individual, ‘P8,’ for inciting chaos and that this individual’s statement was then taken as evidence for Mr Lissu’s treason case.
READ MORE: Tundu Lissu’s Treason Trial Resumes With Fierce Legal Debate Over ‘Secret Witness’
Mr Lissu’s cross-examination was equally devastating. He again had the officer’s police statement admitted as evidence and proceeded to highlight numerous inconsistencies. The most memorable exchange came when the officer claimed to be an expert.
Tundu Lissu: You, police officer, I have been taught to catch liars.
Corporal Michael: I am also an expert, sir.
Tundu Lissu: You are not an expert in anything, that’s why you are a Corporal in the police. If you were an expert, you wouldn’t be a Corporal.
This comment drew more laughter from the supporters in the courtroom. Mr Lissu also forced the detective to admit that while he was investigating ‘P8’ for a crime, he was simultaneously preparing evidence for Mr Lissu’s case.
Tundu Lissu: So you were preparing Lissu’s case?
Corporal Michael: That’s not true.
Tundu Lissu: So what were you preparing?
Corporal Michael: Evidence for the case.
Tundu Lissu: Which case?
Corporal Michael: Yours.
Tundu Lissu: So it is mine, you’ve held back, and now you’ve let it out.
The detective was also unable to state what crime is committed by demanding constitutional reforms or an independent electoral commission. When pressed, he stated, “I’m not a legal expert. The lawyers will say.”
READ MORE:Treason Trial Paralysed by Tundu Lissu’s Legal Challenge to ‘Secret Witness’
Following Lissu’s cross-examination of the witness, the prosecution declined to ask any follow-up questions on re-examination for the first witness, and only two for the second. The trial was adjourned until Monday, February 17, 2026.
