Dar es Salaam — Tundu Lissu on Friday closed his defence in the High Court treason trial after telling the three-judge panel that Commissioner of Police Ramadhani Kingai, the Director of Criminal Investigations, had complied with a court summons but said he was unwilling to testify for the defence.
Final submissions from both sides are now scheduled for Wednesday, September 23.
Lissu said he had met Kingai at the court and had explained the areas on which he wished the police commissioner to give evidence. According to Lissu, Kingai said he could not and would not testify for him.
“He is on the side of those who pray for, and will celebrate, my conviction,” Lissu told the court.
Lissu told the court he understood that position and could not compel Kingai to give evidence that he did not wish to give. He said Kingai had also told him that Inspector General of Police Camillius Wambura and Chief of Defence Forces General Jacob Mkunda would take the same position if they returned to the country and were served with their summonses.
READ MORE: Court Blocks Bid to Re-question Heche as Lissu Eyes DCI Testimony Friday
The statements about Kingai, Wambura and Mkunda’s positions were made by Lissu in court. Kingai did not give evidence during Friday’s hearing, and the court did not make findings on the claims.
“In these circumstances, I have no more witnesses,” Lissu added. “I ask to close the defence case.”
Justice Dunstan Ndunguru said the court had heard the accused’s submission and declared the defence case closed.
The development followed the court’s September 16 adjournment, when Lissu said the court registrar had reported that summonses for Kingai, Wambura and Mkunda could not then be served because the three officials were outside the country. Lissu had said Kingai was expected to return and attend court on September 18.
With the defence case over, Lissu asked the panel to fix a date for final submissions. He said the trial was scheduled to end on September 25 and that preparing submissions would be a substantial task because the record runs to more than 1,000 pages.
READ MORE: Letters, Radio Clip Challenge Heche’s Account as Lissu Treason Trial Cross-examination Continues
“I ask that from Wednesday, September 23, 2026, I be ready to make final submissions,” Lissu said.
State Attorney Katuga said the prosecution agreed with the proposed date, although he asked whether the submissions would be written or oral. He said the prosecution would also be ready on that Wednesday.
The judges directed both sides to return at 9 a.m. on September 23 for final submissions. The hearing therefore ends the evidence stage of the trial, leaving the court to hear the parties’ concluding legal arguments before it delivers its decision.
