|
Arsonists freed by Karume
2006-02-25 07:48:46
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume has set free three people jailed for setting on fire a tourist hotel owned by former Zanzibar Presidential running mate Naila Jidawi of the opposition NCCR-Mageuzi.
Zanzibar Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Omar Ali Bayi confirmed that Ameir Haji Suleiman, alias Shombe, Amir Suleiman Mbochwe and Dude Mohammed Askari were released from prison last week on the orders of President Karume.
He said President Karume’s directive was served on the Zanzibar Prisons Department (Mafunzo) on February and the three inmates were set free immediately.
Zanzibar’s constitution empowers the Isles’ president to pardon and order the immediate release from prison of convicted inmates.
’I can confirm that we have implemented the president’s directive that the three inmates be released immediately,’ Bayi said.
The Unguja South Regional Court convicted Suleiman, Mbochwe and Askari on Novemba 10, last year, in connection with the arson attack on Palm Beach Hotel at Jambiani on April 10, last year. The blaze caused damage estimated at 40m/-.
Mbochwe, who is also the ruling party CCM’s publicity secretary in Unguja South Region, and Suleiman were handed two-year jail sentences each for arson while Askari was jailed for five years for arson and assaulting a police officer.
The three were released after staying behind bars for only three months.
President Karume’s decision to pardon the trio came when they had already filed an appeal against their conviction at the Zanzibar High Court.
However, hearing of the appeal had not yet begun because no judge had been assigned to preside over the matter.
The Office of the Zanzibar Director of Public Prosecutions has rejected magistrate Yessaya Kayange who had been given extended jurisdiction by the High Court to hear the appeal.
Some Zanzibar residents and legal experts said the provision empowering the president to pardon people convicted of criminal offences needed to be reviewed to avoid needless complaints.
’The president has acted within the confines of the constitution, but it’s clear that this particular decision is politically motivated.
The problem is that this provision makes it easy for the president to settle political scores and protect criminal elements within the party in power,’ a lawyer who asked not to be named said.
Jidawi’s hotel was set alight after the opposition politician angered residents of Bwejuu Village following her refusal to allow a prominent traditional healer, popularly known as ’Rambaramba’, to enter the establishment and exorcise ’evil spirits’ said to be hiding in the place.
|
