Hearing of Chadema Leaders’ Case Postponed

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Moses Mashalla

30 April 2011

Hearing of a case in which several top Chadema leaders are charged with staging an illegal demonstration last January could not start yesterday as scheduled after two of the accused failed to appear in court.

The eighth accused, Ms Josephine Mushumbusi, who is fiancée of Chadema secretary general Dr Wilbroad Slaa, and another person identified as Mathias Valerian failed to show up, leading to the adjournment of the case to May 27 this year.

Resident Magistrate Charles Magese told the court that he couldn’t start the hearing without the two were present, as they were key to the events of January 5th when Chadema followers clashed with the police in Arusha.

The chaos led to the death of three people and injury of scores as pitched battles raged in various corners of the city after police broke up a demonstration organised by the opposition party, terming it illegal.

Mr Magese said preliminary hearings would start only in the presence of the two Chadema officials who were among the party’s top leaders earlier arraigned for organising the alleged illegal protest.

However, the defence side led by two prominent advocates, Method Kimomogoro and Albert Msando, pleaded that hearing should continue despite the absence of the two Chadema officials so as to speed up the case.

Advocate Kimomogoro said Ms Mushumbusi was indisposed and, therefore, could not turn up for the case. He said he had been informed also that she was pregnant. He pleaded innocence on the whereabouts of Mr Valerian.

However, state attorneys Neema Lyimo, Awamu Bagya and Mwaija Ahmed insisted that the two had to be present for the proceedings to continue. After some consultations, the two sides agreed to adjourn the case.

Also facing the charges are Dr Slaa; Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe and Arusha Urban MP Godbless Lema.

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