IGIHE

Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • Tanzania:Court of Appeal reduces death sentence on Dar resident

    {The Court of Appeal has reduced to 15 years jail term the death sentence imposed on a Dar es Salaam resident, Samwel Henry Juma, for killing his lover, Elizabeth Martin. Justices Edward Rutakangwa, Bernard Luanda and Batuel Mmilla reached into such decision after allowing the appeal.}

    Juma, the appellant, had lodged against the judgment of the High Court dated May 25, 2011. They reduced such capital punishment into lesser custodian sentence after convicting the appellant with manslaughter for killing his ‘baby’ without intention.

    The justices noted in his defence that the appellant had not denied to have caused the death of the deceased, but it was accidental. Evidence showed that the appellant had pushed the deceased, who fell on a sharp tree stump.

    They, therefore, quashed the conviction of murder and the sentence of death by hanging and convicted the appellant with the offence of manslaughter.

    “Taking into account the period he has been in prison, we sentence him to 15 years imprisonment from the date of delivery of this judgment,” the justices declared in their judgment. Facts of the case show that the appellant and the deceased stayed together for two years as lovers before the latter met her death. Prior to their staying together, the deceased was employed somewhere to take care of a ‘shamba’.

    In order to carry out her duties effectively, the deceased was staying in a small house within the said ‘shamba’. It was in that house where the deceased invited the appellant to stay with her.

    However, their relationship was not good, as the two used to quarrel and sometimes fought. At one occasion the appellant assaulted the deceased whereby the incident was reported to the police.

    The appellant was arrested, charged in court of law, convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of 20,000/- or go to jail for a year in default of paying the fine. The appellant failed to pay the fine and was jailed.

    Though it was the deceased who put the appellant behind bars, just for the love of the appellant, she paid the fine after the appellant had spent two weeks in prison and returned to live with the deceased.

    However, a day before the deceased met her death, which is on November 22, 2008; the two were at loggerheads again. The deceased could not stomach anymore, she called the village elders with a view to parting company. The elders blessed her request and the two parted company.

  • :KenyaBungoma man who hung on chopper injured after falling off

    {According to clinical officer Leah Atsewa, who attended to him, Mr Wanjala was under the influence of alcohol.}

    A man is fighting for his life at Bungoma Referral Hospital after jumping off a helicopter carrying the body of businessman Jacob Juma on Friday.

    Sale Wanjala, 41, had hung on the chopper from Bungoma Posta Grounds as it took off after a public viewing of the body.

    Mr Wanjala, a casual labourer, was seen hanging on the helicopter as it flew away from the grounds, prompting desperate mourners to shout and frantically wave at the pilot to land the aircraft and save him.

    However, the pilot could not hear the shouts and flew away with the man holding tight to the the chopper’s tabular landing skids.

    The helicopter had delivered Mr Juma’s body at the grounds instead of Kanduyi Stadium as had been scheduled for public viewing.

    “I was sitting at the landing skids while the crowd milled around the chopper. Suddenly I realised the chopper was taking off and my foot was stuck. By the time I was freeing myself the chopper had already gained momentum and decided to hang on to wherever it was going,” Mr Wanjala said at his hospital bed.

    The aircraft flew to Bungoma Airstrip and he decided to let go of the skids and jump off. He sustained injuries on his hip, legs and hand.

    An ambulance that was accompanying Mr Juma’s hearse rushed him to the hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.

    According to clinical officer Leah Atsewa, who attended to him, Mr Wanjala was under the influence of alcohol.

    “We have examined him and he has no serious injuries only that he has a dislocated hip and bruises though we realised that he was reeking alcohol,” she said.

    Mr Wanjala’s sister Leah Nelima told the Nation: “I received a call that my brother had jumped from a helicopter and had sustained head injuries that forced me to rush to the hospital to see for myself”.

    Mr Wanjala had two wives. His first wife died a few years ago and he later separated from his second wife.

    He had six children. Only one, aged 17, is alive.

  • DR Congo police disperse thousands at opposition rally

    {Thousands of supporters protest at accusations that opposition candidate Moise Katumbi was plotting a coup.}

    Congo police fired tear gas at thousands of supporters rallying outside the prosecutor’s office where a leading opposition presidential candidate was facing a hearing over accusations he was plotting a coup.

    Friday’s incident was the third time in five days that police fired tear gas at supporters of Moise Katumbi, the former governor of the country’s copper-mining region, who the government has accused of hiring mercenaries as part of the plot against the government, according to the Reuters news agency.

    Authorities have given scant details about the allegations made last week, which Katumbi denies.

    He says the accusations are aimed at derailing his campaign to succeed President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since 2001, but is barred from standing for a third term in an election set for November.

    Police also threw rocks at the demonstrators, who flocked towards Katumbi when he arrived outside the prosecutor general’s office. One rock hit Katumbi’s older brother, Abraham, in the face.

    “It’s sad that there is not a state of law – police officers who throw stones and wound my older brother,” Katumbi said before entering the building.

    The hearing was suspended after Katumbi said he felt unwell due to the tear gas.

    Dozens were killed in January 2015 in protests over a proposed revision of the electoral law that critics said was a ploy to keep Kabila in power beyond the end of his mandate. Kabila has not said whether he will leave power this year.

    Friday's dispersal was the third time in five days that police fired tear gas at thousands of supporters of Moise Katumbi

  • Uganda:Besigye Charged With Treason, Jailed in Karamoja

    {Former Presidential Candidate, Dr. Kizza Besigye was on Friday evening rushed to the Magistrate’s Court in Moroto district and summarily charged with Treason.}

    According to the Forum for Democratic Change party officials no one including family, friends or party members where allowed within the precincts of the Court during the session that took about only 20 minutes.

    The FDC Secretary for Trade and Investments, Doreen Nyanjura who is also the Makerere Councilor elect told ChimpReports on phone that Besigye was subsequently remanded at Moroto Prisons up to 25th May when the hearing of his case starts.

    “Dr. KB (Besigye) was taken to court at 6:30 PM. None of us party members nor his family members were allowed near the court premises,” Ms. Nyanjura said.

    “The court process the shortest time I have ever witnessed. It was just like a scripted and well rehearsed drama.”

    Dr. Besigye was arrested on Wednesday when he escaped from the 24 hour tight security at his home in Kasangati and stormed the city centre.

    He was briefly detained at Nagalama police station in Kiira but at night he was transferred to the Eastern district of Moroto which is 420km from the capital Kampala.

    The treason charges are likely connected to a viral video posted online in which Besigye was seen being sworn in as President of Uganda as his party had earlier vowed.

    The Constitutional Court recently blocked the opposition defiance protests which started towards the end of presidential campaigns and intensified when Besigye lost the elections.

  • Kenya:Tell us why Juma was brutally killed, Raila asks Uhuru

    {But Mr Ruto accused the Opposition of using the murder to shore up its declining fortunes.}

    Cord leader Raila Odinga on Friday said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto should speak out on the murder of businessman Jacob Juma.

    Addressing mourners during a public viewing of Mr Juma’s body in Kakamega, Mr Odinga said: “Kenyans are waiting for answers from the President and his deputy on why Mr Juma was brutally murdered. The two are ashamed to speak about the killing.”

    But Mr Ruto accused the Opposition of using the murder to shore up its declining fortunes.

    “It is of no use for leaders who have lost popularity to exploit the killing of Jacob Juma to gain political mileage. I want to ask Cord and other opposition leaders to record statements with the police on what they know about the murder instead of implicating other leaders whom they do not agree with,” Mr Ruto said in Aldai, Nandi County.

    Speaking at the Approved School grounds in Kakamega, Mr Odinga repeated his claim that the businessman was killed because of the information he had on the Eurobond saga and for exposing the National Youth Service scandal.

    “Those who shed the blood of Mr Juma would not go unpunished,” he said.

    “If they think they have silenced Mr Juma for good, they should know there are several other Jumas out there willing to give information on the corruption going on in government,” Mr Odinga said.

    Mr Juma’s widow Miriam said the family felt let down by the government since no effort had been made to have his killers arrested.

    “I do not know how to put what I want to say but my husband was killed because of the fearless stand he took in the fight against corruption in government,” she said in Kakamega.

    Earlier in Nairobi, she announced that the family will engage private investigators to help unravel the mystery of his murder.

    Mrs Juma asked Internal Security minister Joseph ole Nkaissery to provide “CCTV footage of his car, tracked to Ngong Road on Thursday May 5, the night he was murdered.”

    {{DEATH PROBE}}

    Speaking to journalists at her Karen home, Mrs Juma also asked that the family be provided with telephone data detailing his movement on the night of May 5 and the morning of May 6.

    “We ask only these two things for now, we shall be requesting more information in due course and look forward to your cooperation,” she said.

    She added that the family also supports calls for the engagement of foreign help like the American FBI and Britain’s Scotland Yard to help in investigations.

    Mr Juma was found dead in his car on May 5 after being shot by unknown gunmen.

    Postmortem examination results have since revealed that he died from two bullets fired at close range to his chest.

    Mr Odinga poured scorn on official statements that police were investigating the killing.

    Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale asked Mr Odinga and his Cord co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula to remain united and forge a formidable strategy to dislodge Jubilee from power in 2017 General Election.

    He said the killing of the businessman had emboldened the opposition and those crusading against corruption in government.

    Mrs Juma said that the family also wants to know the company or individual who towed Mr Juma’s car to Karen police station and at what time it was towed there.

    On Friday, workers of the towing firm, which works out of Karen shopping centre, said they recorded statements with the police after the widow raised the questions.

    Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of them denied reports that Mr Juma’s body was in the car as it was towed to the station. He said it was in a police vehicle.

    The workers, who included a driver and two handlers, said that they spent hours with the detectives.

    Police reports indicated that an Administration Police officer, who heard gunshots, rushed to the scene and found Mr Juma had been fatally shot.

    An Occurrence Book report at Karen Police station only identifies the AP officer as Koome. His mobile telephone number recorded in the OB is missing one digit.

    “The family also wants to know at what time was Jacob’s body taken to the City Mortuary,” Mrs Juma said.

    {{FUNERAL}}

    She said that her husband had all his personal identification documents on him yet his family was not notified about his death.

    ‘‘His residence was well known to the local Karen police station,” the widow said.

    She said she only learnt of her husband’s death from other parents when she took her children to school.

    “I tried to reach him several times that night on his phone which went unanswered,” the widow said.

    On Thursday, Opposition leaders accused the State of being behind the killing and named top officials they said should be questioned.

    From Kakamega, Mr Juma’s body was flown to Posta Grounds in Bungoma for public viewing but angry youth, who wanted the viewing at Kanduyi stadium, nearly disrupted the event.

    The body was later flown to Mr Juma’s rural home in Mungore village in Bumula constituency.

    Mr Juma will be buried today.

    In the village, tents that had been erected earlier at the home of the businessman were moved to the nearby Mungore Primary School to accommodate more mourners.

    Some 45 bulls have been slaughtered to feed the mourners.

    Mr Juma’s mother Irene Adhiambo Juma, 95, expressed deep sorrow over the killing of her son.

    She described him as a pillar to the family who took proper care of her.

    Bungoma County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim said: “We are calling for calm during the funeral service and people should not bring their political affiliations that would lead to confrontations.”

    Cord leader Raila Odinga condoles Jacob Juma’s widow Miriam at her home in Khasoko, Bungoma County, on May 13, 2016. Mr Odinga poured scorn on official statements that police were investigating the killing.

  • Tanzania:Eight Sengerema murder suspects apprehended

    {Police in Mwanza Region are holding eight people in connection with the killing of seven people from the family of Eugine Philipo (60), a resident of Sima Village in Sengerema District.}

    The Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Mwanza, Mr Ahmedi Msangi, said that due to intelligence issues the names of the suspects are being held, for the benefit of investigations.

    “A total of eight people had been arrested until Thursday in connection with the incident that occurred at Sima Village in Sengerema District and I am not going to reveal their names because investigations into the matter are still ongoing,” said Mr Msangi.

    He called on the people to collaborate with the police and government offices at all times by giving necessary information upon suspecting anyone who seems to have been involved in criminality.

    Explaining how the incident occurred, the RPC said that Mama Philipo was attacked by three strangers who had invaded her house wielding machetes. The attackers struck while she was asleep.

    After invading the house the attackers used the machetes to hack the family members into pieces and killed them on the spot. The deceased are Eugenia Kwitema (62), Maria Philipo (56), Yohana Mabula (20), Leonard Alloys (12), Mkiwa Philipo (13) and two servants of the family identified by one name as Donald and Samson.

    The attackers went into the servant’s quarter and slashed the two boys they found there to pieces. After they were satisfied that the two boys were dead, the killers approached the main house where the first person they faced was the mother, Eugenia Kwitema, whom they told to surrender money.

    Trying to bargain for her life Mama Kwitema said she had only 40,000/- with her but the killers were furious over the “small amount” and threatened to kill her instantly unless she gave them more money.

    Helplessly and hopelessly, she had pleaded for time to pray and say a last word to the rest of the family members in the house. The attackers would have none of that and instead proceeded to attack her, killing her on the spot.

    The youngest child in the household escaped death rather miraculously. On Thursday, Sengerema authorities pledged to meet the burial cost of the bodies of the seven family members who were killed on Tuesday night.

    The decision to support burial arrangements was reached after the Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr John Mongela, directed district authorities to meet the cost for transport and coffins.

    “I am equally shocked by the killings. But we have first to see how we can assist the remaining members of the family to meet some of the costs. Seven coffins are ready for the burial,” pointed Mr Mongela.

    The Sengerema District Commissioner (DC), Ms Zainab Telack, could only link the incident to witchcraft, cautioning the villagers to avoid taking the law into their hands.

    The Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Mwanza, Mr Ahmedi Msangi.

  • Western envoys in Uganda walk out of Museveni swearing-in

    {Western delegations attending the inauguration of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have walked out of the ceremony in protest.}

    US, European and Canadian diplomats left abruptly when Mr Museveni made disparaging comments about the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    The US state department said they had also objected to the presence of Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir at the ceremony.

    Mr Bashir is wanted by the ICC on charges of genocide.

    Thursday’s inauguration – the fifth since Mr Museveni took power in 1986 – was attended by leaders from Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

    In his address, Mr Museveni described the ICC as “a bunch of useless people” and said he no longer supported it.

    State department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said: “In response to President Bashir’s presence and President Museveni’s remarks, the US delegation, along with representatives of the EU countries and Canada, departed the inauguration ceremonies to demonstrate our objections.”

    “We believe that walking out in protest is an appropriate reaction to a head of state mocking efforts to ensure accountability for victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

    Ms Trudeau said that was especially the case as Uganda was committed to accountability as a party to the Rome statute, which established the ICC.

    The Hague-based court has issued international warrants in 2009 and 2010 for Mr Bashir’s arrest on charges of genocide for atrocities in Sudan’s western Darfur region.

    Correspondents say that states in theory have a legal duty to arrest ICC suspects on their territory, but African leaders are increasingly doubtful of its authority.

    The swearing-in ceremony was the fifth since President Museveni took power in 1986

  • Uganda:Police arrest 160 at Museveni swearing-in

    {President Museveni’s swearing in ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds on Thursday left 160 people behind bars.}

    Mr Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, said the suspects were arrested pickpocketing folks who had gathered to witness Mr Museveni’s swearing in for the fifth elective term.

    “We arrested these people snatching items such as phones and wallets.They were arrested by our uniformed and plain-clothed security personnel,” Mr Onyango said.

    Mr Onyango said majority of the suspects were teenagers suspected to be members of infamous criminal gang, Kifesi that terrorises people in the rough hours of morning and evening.

    He said the number was likely to increase since other suspects were being detained at different police station in addition to the operation that was ongoing.

    “This was a magnificent function that attracted people from all walks of life.Some people go to such events with different motives. We expected such characters to appear and we planned ahead,” Mr Onyango said.

    However, Mr Onyango said the suspects would be screened since some could have been arrested due to their appearance or being adjacent to criminal elements.

    The function, according to Mr Onyango was generally peaceful, given proper preparation and planning ahead by security forces.

    “The event was generally peaceful. We did not register serious crimes apart from simple robberies; of mobile phones and loss of identify cards. We thank the public for being peaceful,” Mr Onyango said.

    While addressing the media on Monday, Gen Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police, warned that security agencies were more than ready to crush anyone who would engage in violent and criminal activities prior and during Mr Museveni’s swearing in.

    Gen Kayihura’s pledge was indeed fulfilled when several opposition leaders were put under house arrest while others including former FDC presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye, were detained on the eve of the ceremony.

    Some of the suspects at Kampala Central Police Station.

  • Kenya:Ethnic clashes erupt on Kuria-Trans Mara border

    {Trans Mara police Boss Alfred Muthua has confirmed the incident.}

    {Fresh ethnic clashes have erupted on the Kuria-Trans Mara border.}

    The clash is said to have been sparked off by the killing of a member of one of the neighbouring tribes at Enkiwanja, near Lolgorian Township by members of the other tribe.

    Trans Mara police boss Alfred Muthua has confirmed the incident.

    The deceased man’s body, he said, had several gunshot wounds.

    It also bore several cuts from a sharp object, most likely a panga.

    According to Mr Kokoyo Ole Malit, a local leader in Lolgorian, the renewed fighting was brought about by a failed attempt by the group from one side that wanted to steal cattle from their neighbours.

    Gun shots rent the air as the two groups pursued each other.

    “The situation is not very good here,” Mr Malit said in an interview with Nation.co.ke.

    Mr Muthua said his officers had already visited the scene and picked up the body which was transferred to the Trans Mara District Hospital Mortuary.

    He said they were monitoring the situation.

  • Magufuli wins hearts at Museveni inauguration

    {President John Magufuli was on Thursday the toast of hundreds of people who attended the swearing-in of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, as they wildly applauded when he was being introduced at the Kololo Independence Grounds.}

    Mr Museveni was sworn-in for another term as Uganda president at a ceremony attended by dozens of leaders and dignitaries, and beamed live by local and international television stations.

    When he marched to the podium to introduce the heads of state who attended the ceremony just few minutes after taking oath of office, Mr Museveni started introducing one leader after another.

    When it was Dr Magufuli’s turn to be introduced, the crowd wildly cheered him as he stood up to acknowledge the ecstatic reception. Dr Magufuli is popular among East African Community (EAC), member states for the radical changes he has embraced in Tanzania including spearheading the fight against corruption since he took over office late last year.

    And when it was time to leave the grounds, journalists surged forward to book Dr Magufuli for exclusive interviews. However, their efforts hit a brick wall as the Tanzanian leader declined to address the media.

    Accompanied by a small delegation, the Head of State jetted into Uganda on Wednesday from Arusha aboard a private Tanzanian jet. He arrived in Kampala in his second trip outside the country since he took oath of office in November last year.

    Earlier, amid ululations, President Museveni signed the oath of allegiance and was handed the instruments of power by the Chief Justice, Mr Bart Katureebe, a few minutes to 12 noon.

    The instruments included a copy of the Ugandan Constitution, the national flag, the presidential standard, a copy of the national anthem, the coat of arms, and the public seal. A sword and a shield (the symbol for Uganda’s defence forces) were also handed to the president.

    The ceremony was attended by several heads of state, among them presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Omar al-Bashir (Sudan), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Jacob Zuma (South Africa) and Mahamadou Issoufou (Niger).

    Also in attendance were two former Tanzanian presidents, Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Jakaya Kikwete. Other leaders who were cheered by the crowd are Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta and Omar al-Bashir of Sudan.

    Introducing Mr Al-Bashir, President Museveni said his country was less concerned with the indictment of the former by the International Criminal Court (ICC). “We are less concerned with the ICC because initially when it was introduced, we thought they were serious.

    But it has come to our knowledge that that court is a bunch of useless people.’’ Mr Museveni was declared winner of the February presidential elections after garnering 60.75 per cent of total votes cast.

    His closest challenger Dr Kizza Besigye of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) got 35.37 per cent, while former Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi, who challenged the results in the Supreme Court and lost the case, came third with 1.43 per cent.

    Mr Museveni, who is the chairperson of the ruling NRM, came to power in 1986 after carrying out a five-year-long protracted guerrilla warfare in the jungles of Luwero triangle (1981-1986).

    President Magufuli with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni swearing-in ceremony.