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Gun, ammo earn trader 20 years in jail
2006-02-16 09:08:12
By Nsuduki Limbe, PST, Tabora
A Tabora businessman, Juma Somwe, 23, has been jailed for 20 years and fined a total of 1.3m/- after pleading guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Passing judgment on Tuesday, Tabora Resident Magistrate Liberatus Mbuya sentenced the accused to 12 years’ imprisonment and fined him 500,000/- for possessing an AK-47 rifle illegally and handed him an eight-year sentence and 800,000/- fine for having 30 rounds of ammunition without a permit.
Mbuya said the punishment should serve as deterrent to people intending to own firearms illegally. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning that Somwe will serve 12 years in jail.
The court earlier heard that, Somwe was arrested at Tabora Railway Station on February 8, this year, with the gun and bullets, and failed to provide proof showing that he owned them legally.
The prosecution said cases of illegal possession of firearms were on the rise in the region and asked the court to mete out exemplary punishment to the accused.
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