Bukoba: South African gets three months jail sentence

Written by MEDDY MULISA in Bukoba.

A SOUTH African national identified as Leon DuPlesis (46), has been sentenced to three months in jail after being convicted of using abusive language contrary to Section 89 of the Penal Code.

DuPlesis was arraigned before Senior Primary Court Magistrate, Derick Masaga, at Lunguya Primary Court, in Kahama district.

The complainant, identified as Mohamed Shaban (26), told the court that on January 2, this year at Bulyanhulu Gold Mine, the convict abused him by saying publicly that he (Shaban) was infected with HIV/AIDS and he would die within a short period of time.

Three witnesses, all workers at the gold mine testified in favour of Mr Shaban, that they were present when DuPlesis abused him. Before passing the sentence, Magistrate Masaga noted that the evidence presented in court proved beyond doubt that the convict maliciously abused the complainant.

The convict has started serving the sentence in jail. Meanwhile, A 36 year-old man identified as Johannes Franc, from Ibwera village, in Bukoba Rural district appeared before Bukoba Resident Magistrate’s Court charged with defiling a nine year old standard three girl (name withheld).

Prosecuting Senior State Attorney Paul Kadushi, alleged before Senior Resident Magistrate Anna Kigutu, that the accused defiled the girl on December 17, last year at Ibwera village. Mr Kadushi alleged that the accused way-laid the girl as she was coming from school.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. Magistrate Kigutu ordered him to be remanded into custody until March 4, this year when the case will be mentioned again.

Source: Daily News (15/02/2013): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/14682-south-african-gets-three-months-jail-sentence