TANZANIA: Ponda`s followers bailed out

BY KARAMA KENYUNKO

The 49 followers of Sheikh Issa Ponda who face five charges including conspiracy and stealing were yesterday granted bail after meeting the conditions.

The bail conditions sets by Resident Magistrate Victoria Nongwa demanded the accused to present one surety each, who would sign a bond of one million shillings while the second condition prohibited the accused from visiting the crime scene until judgment of their case.

Ponda (54) and his colleagues are prime suspects of five criminal counts including stealing of property worth 59m/- and inciting the commission of an offence.

The accused were bailed out after having spent more than three weeks in remand.

Ponda is the only accused who remains in custody after being denied bail following filing of the ‘certificate of urgency’ to expedite the proceedings by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) which the court has no power to overturn.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (08/11/2012): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=47783