TANZANIA: COURT SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH FOR MURDER

May 23, 2014: The High Court in Tabora sentenced two people to death by hanging after convicting them of murder.
Charles Ngwandu and Shaban Mabala were sentenced by Judge Amir Mruma, both are accused of shooting to death two persons some six years ago.
The deceased victims are Athuman Mohamed and Shaban Masudi who were shot dead on October 27, 2008 in the Isenefu area of Uyui District in an attempt to hijack a bus.
The convicted persons were found in possession of two machine guns, 34 rounds of ammunition and uniforms belonging to the Burundi army and that were linked to the shooting.
The two buses, with registration numbers T 273 AMT and T 153 AQC, were heading to Tabora from Goweko village when they were hijacked, passengers ordered to strip naked and hand over all their belongings to the robbers, the court was told.
In mitigation, one of the accused, Ngwandu, pleaded with the court to have mercy on him saying he was suffering from HIV/Aids.
However, Judge Mruma ignored the plea and sentenced the two to death by hanging.  (Source: The Guardian, 27/05/2014)