50 UDSM students face court charges

KARAMA KENYUNKO

The Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court yesterday adjourned to the end of the month (August 30) the hearing on a case of alleged unlawful assembly and rioting by some 50 students from the University of Dar es Salaam.

The prosecution, led by State Attorney Beata Kitau, claimed before Resident Magistrate Walialwande Lema that the prosecutor who is responsible for the case was at that moment ‘tied up’ in other official duties.

Earlier this year, the prosecution led by State Attorney Ladslous Komanya read the preliminary hearing to the accused claiming that, some of the 1st year students admitted to the UDSM main Campus from various faculties had not secured bursary from the financial department.

Komanya claimed that, pending progress and efforts undertaken by the university administration in collaboration with the loan board, a disorderly an rowdy group emerged with the alias ‘Task force team’ and led by Mwampamba, Elias, Ambrose, Monas and Lusako who are among the accused.

The group through various unspecified ways, put unnecessary, destructing and threatening’ pressure to both the university administration and the student bodies like, Dar es Salaam University Student Organization (DARUSO). They demanded that all first year students be guaranteed loans.

The said Task force team threatened DARUSO, that if they failed to meet their demands, they will mobilize and organizes other students with the common purpose of unlawful rioting despite the potential breaching of peace and tranquillity.

He said that on November 7, 2011 the President of DARUSO ,Kilwa Simon convened a meeting with some of the accused and asked them to exercise patience while their demands` were been addressed with the relevant authority.

Despite all efforts, on November 9, 2011 the group lived up to their threats and fulfilled mobilized their fellows and met at the Revolution Square on campus where they devised their ploy.

On November 10, last year the administration of the UDSM main Campus had issued a press release in it, they warned the group members not to execute carry out unlawful assembly nor riots.  They were assured that their d3emands were been worked on and will be resolved.

As it ensued, on November 11, at the University of Dar es Salaam in Kinondoni district, the accused assembled unlawfully, an act that is said to have breached peace and it was further alleged that on the same day and place, the accused continued to take part in the illegal assembly even after an order was given by police to disperse.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (14/08/2012): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=44753