Papa Msofe, Makongoro enter 'not guilty' pleas

Marijani Abdubakari Msofe, alias Papaa Msofe and Makongoro Nyerere yesterday entered a ‘not guilty’ plea and were sent back to remand prison  as investigations proceed and also because murder cases in Tanzania have no bail.

The two are accused of killing another businessman, Onesphory Kituli, last year in a feud over a house. The deceased had bought in a mortgage agreement and had made a down payment of 30m/-.

The prosecution in the case was led by State Attorney Adolph Mkini and yesterday the case came up for mention where the court heard that the case original file was still at the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court adjourned the case to March 25, this month as investigations proceed.

Meanwhile, yet another nurse appeared before the same court charged with forgery and use of false documents.

The prosecution, led by State Attorney Leornad Challo, alleged before Resident Magistrate Hellen Riwa that the offence was committed on an unknown date last year within Dar es Salam. It further alleged that, with intent to defraud or deceive, the nurse, Hadija Matimbwa forged a midwifery enrollment certificate number 387187 dated May 25, 2013.

State Attorney Chalo claimed that the accused forged the certificate purporting it to show that it was genuinely issued by the Tanzania Nurses and Midwives Council, a fact she knew to be false.

On another count, it was alleged that on February 25, this year at the Extelcom building within Ilala District, knowingly and fraudulently she forged a midwifery certificate number 387187 of May 25, 2013. 

She then submitted it to Happy Hosiana Masenga, a Registry Officer of the Tanzania Nurses and Midwives Council, the court was told.

Pending on going investigations, the accused, a resident of Manuringa in Mtwara region, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded after failing to meet bail conditions; secure two government employees as reliable sureties to sign a bond of two million shillings each.

The case is now to come up for mention on March 25, this year.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN