The Judiciary has again failed our three brothers: Ust. Ramadhan Moshi Kakoso (45), Waziri Mkaliaganda (37) and Omar Salum Bumbo (55), members of Hizb ut Tahrir / Tanzania who were kidnapped, falsely accused with ‘terrorism’ and held in detention for four and a half years under the pretext of ‘Investigation is underway,’ devoid of their basic rights such as family visitation and requiring outside supply of decent meals. Why were they arrested if the investigations were not complete meaning there was no evidence?
It is very unfortunate that during their detention period their case is only mentioned on a fortnightly basis at Mtwara Magistrate Court where the prosecution has cunningly assured them (detainees) at various times that their investigation has reached a climax stage for hearing.
On 14th January 2022, the same Magistrate Court made a beguiling promise to pacify them that within 3 weeks they would be sooner or later be freed or their case would proceed to High Court with jurisdiction ready for hearing, something that did not take place once again.
It is clearly suspicious to any reasonable person how most terrorist cases are being handled in Tanzania. Many fundamental questions arise, such as: Why is evidence not deduced before the court of law? Why are detainees not given a right to trial in reasonable time? Why are detainees who are presumed innocent not released on bail? Why is there an obvious sense of intimidation and harassment in these cases? And even more fundamentally, why are people arrested and detained for years when the prosecution itself admits openly in court that investigations are still ongoing meaning that they do not have the evidence to charge them even after four and a half years?
The only conclusion is existence of an oppressive agenda in the pretext of combating terrorism and a terrible abuse of the fundamental rights of human beings.
We in Hizb ut Tahrir / Tanzania again demand from all institutions dealing with the administration of justice in Tanzania to comply with the proper judicial process by either: immediately releasing the above three well known peaceful men unconditionally to return to their eagerly waiting families, or granting them bail while the slow investigations proceed unless they can adduce any so called evidence before the court to try them.
Enough is enough and justice must prevail once and for all!
#KomeshaUkandamizajiWaKisheriaNaUtekaji
#StopOppressiveLawsAndAbduction
Masoud Msellem
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Tanzania
Press Release
7 Rajab 1443 – Tuesday, 8th February 2022
No: 03 / 1443