Court orders arrest of trophy suspects

The Citizen Correspondent

Rufiji.

 An arrest warrant has been issued for three Rufiji residents currently on trial for possession of government trophies for their failure to show up in court.

The defendants were expected at Kibiti District Court last week for a formal hearing on charges of economic sabotage brought by the State against them.

Magistrate Muhidin Matitu said he was satisfied that Shilu Mtimbula, Joseph Chilumba and William Mgaya had been sufficiently notified of their pending court appearance, and could not excuse their decision to simply not turn up.

“We do not have any information why the accused have failed to appear in court,” he said.

“I order that they be arrested and that they are brought before this court on September 26.”

Public prosecutor Gabikwa Ushomile told the court that the accused were caught with various government trophies at different times and in different areas within the district of Rufiji.

Several others have been arraigned on similar charges, according to court records. The list of defendants includes local residents Jumanne Ligenge, Scolastica Ernest, Hamis Seleman, Hassan Jumanne and Juma Lubanga.

However, the prosecutor was not ready to move on the case, saying regional criminal officers were not done with their investigation.

Some Rufiji residents who spoke to The Citizen on Saturday have urged the judiciary to fast track cases involving animal poaching and government trophies

“We want the courts to issue decisions timely. Why all this hoopla if all the evidence is there?” asked Mr Hassan Kijiwile. Another resident, Mr Musa Ngalula suggested the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism be given custody of all government trophies currently in police evidence lockers.

In a recent address in Dodoma, the MP for Rufiji, Dr Seif Suleiman Rashid, had urged the judiciary to fast track cases involving illegal government trophies and to hand down heavy sentences to poachers and other economic saboteurs.

Source: The Citizen (Saturday, 25 August 2012, 01:06): http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/51-other-news/25182-court-orders-arrest-of-trophy-suspects