Politics

Mbowe’s Case Against IGP Sirro and Others Postponed Until Sept 23

The case is expected to resume on September 23 after the defence has submitted its objections to the case.

Lukelo Francis

August 30, 2021

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Dar es Salaam. The case that CHADEMA national chairperson Mr Freeman Mbowe has filed against Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro and others was postponed on Monday after the defence said it is objecting to the case.

The defence is expected to submit the objections in writing on September 6, 2021, while Mr Mbowe’s team will submit its responses to the objections on September 9, 2021. The case will resume on September 23, 2021, after the two sides have reconciled their arguments.

Others in the case are the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sylvester Mwakitalu and Attorney General (AG) Adelardus Kilangi. In civil case No. 21/2021, Mr Mbowe accuses IGP Sirro, DPP Mwakitalu and AG Kilangi of violating his fundamental rights during his arrest as well as in the entire proceeding of the case against him.

Representatives from the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden were among those who attended Mr Mbowe’s case. On August 22, 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Liberata Mulamula cautioned ambassadors representing foreign countries as well as heads of institutions and international organisations residing in the country against the behaviour of attending the case “unlawfully.”

Mr Mbowe was brought before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court for the first time on July 26, 2021, accused of taking part in conspiracies to blow up fueling stations and other public gatherings as well as funding terrorist acts.

He was arrested in Mwanza together with eleven other CHADEMA cadres — who have since been released — ahead of a New Constitution conference that the party’s Youth Wing (BAVICHA) had called and which Mr Mbowe was expected to be the guest of honour.

CHADEMA and other pro-democracy activists have dismissed the terrorism charges against Mr Mbowe as “trumped-up” and “politically motivated”; they have since then called for authorities to drop them.

They have said the charge sheet on Mr Mbowe’s case “lacks any legal basis” and would have been “immediately dropped under any competent criminal justice system.”