|
5 acquitted of robbing Moshi forex shop
2006-03-06 11:01:00
By Salome Kitomary, PST, Moshi
Five people accused of robbing a Moshi bureau de change of 138m/- last year have been acquitted.
Presiding magistrate Hubert George of the Moshi Resident Magistrate’s Court acquitted the accused on Friday after concluding that they did not have a case to answer.
The five are Charles Massawe, 33, Amani Mbega, 30, Godlisten Mongi, 33, Ali Mwanansai, 32, alias Macho Mdiliko, and Stephen Kimaro, 38.
However, the accused still face a charge of murdering Moshi taxi driver Benedict Kimaro.
The State last month dropped the armed robbery charge against Joachim Mkenda, 31, Murtaz Mohamed Souza, 40, Damas Shirima, 27, John Mmasi and Hamza Makongoro, who had been jointly charged with the five acquitted on Friday.
However, the murder charge against them was upheld.
State Attorney Ramadhan Juma told the court that those still facing conspiracy, armed robbery and murder charges were Kenyan nationals Wilfred Nganyi, 26, Peter Gikura Mburu, 40, Jimmy Maina Njoroge, 25, Patick Muthee Murithi, 35, Simon Githinji Kariuki, 37, Boniface Mwangi Mburu, 27, and David Ngugi, 33.
Juma said the accused jointly and severally conspired to commit a crime on an unknown date. They also allegedly stole 138m/- from Trust Bureau de Change, owned by Vincent Laswai, after threatening staff with a firearm on July 26, last year.
The seven Kenyans and their Tanzanians co-accused are also accused of murdering Kimaro on the same day at Mwereni Ngangamfumuni, outside Moshi Municipality.
The Kenyans are defended by lawyers Mediam Mwale and Loom Ojare.
The accused were remanded in custody and the case will be heard on March 17.
|
