12 Dar officials now face murder charges

The 11 people accused of manslaughter following the March 2013 collapse of a 14-storey building in Dar es Salaam in which 27 people were killed were  yesterday charged with murder.

The prosecution also joined their case with that of the former Ilala Municipal Executive Director Gabriel Fuime (61), who had initially been charged with the murder of four people also killed in the collapsed building at the junction of Indira Gandhi and Asia streets in the municipality.

The new charges read to the 12 before Resident Magistrate Devotha Kisoka accused them of the murder of 27 people. 

Before entering the new charges, the prosecution led by Principal State Attorney Bernad Kongola told Resident Magistrate Augustina Mmbando that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had withdrawn the original charges against Fuime.

The former director was set free, and then rearrested and charged with murder alongside the 11 who had been facing manslaughter charges and were out on bail.

Apart from Fuime, the other accused are Razah Ladha (68), a businessman resident at the corner of Uhuru and Aggrey streets in the city, Goodluck Mbaga (35), a resident of Mbezi Luis, and Wilboard Mugyabuso (42), from Tandika Mwembe Yanga.

Others are Mohamed Abdulkari (61), an engineer from Tabata Bima, Charles Ogare (48), also an engineer from Kinyerezi, Zonazea Oushoudada (60), a consultant engineer residing at Ubungo NHC, and Vedasto Richale (59), a quantity surveyor who lives at Mbezi Kimara.

The rest are Michael Hemed (59), an architect living in Kijitonyama Makumbusho, Albert Munuo (56), assistant register of Architects and Quantity Surveyors Registration Board (AQRB) and Joseph Ringo (43), the principal enforcement officer at AQRB, who lives at Mbezi Tangi Bovu.

Fuime was initially charged with the killing of Gabriel Godwin Kamwela, Philipo Kusimula, Betod Mwananengule and Zahda Abbas.

In the amended charges it was alleged that on March 29, last year, along Indira Gandhi Street within Ilala District the accused murdered 27 people.

All accused were not allowed to enter any plea to the court because the case will be tried by the High Court.

They were remanded in custody as murder charges are not bailable. The case will be mentioned again on March 26. According to the prosecution investigations have not been completed.

Those killed when the building collapsed was Yusuph Khari, Kulwa Alfan, Hamada Musa, Kessy Manjapa, Hamis Mkomwa, Boniface Bernard, Ally Mohamed, Salman Akbar, Selemani Haji, Selemani Mtego, Sikudhani Mohamed and Ahmed Milambo.

Other is, Salum Mapunda, Selemani Mnyamani, John Majewa, Mussa Mnyamani, Devid Severine, Lilian Joakim, Abdulrahaman Othman, Emmanuel Christian, Mmanyi Ngadula, Adivai Desiki, Emmanuel Wahai and Augustino Chuma, Philipo Kisimula, Zahid Kunji, Betod Mwenanengule and Gabriel Kamwela. 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN