In Tanzania, the hearing of some twenty Maasai accused of the murder of a policeman has been postponed for a second time. The trial was due to resume on Thursday July 14 but was suspended, with prosecutors saying their investigation was still ongoing. The suspects, 25 men and two women, are charged with murder and conspiracy after a policeman was killed on June 10 during a protest against a relocation scheme to protect wildlife in the famous Ngorongoro Nature Reserve. The Maasai accuse the government of trying to force them off their land to organize safaris and hunting parties. Joseph Oleshangay, a member of the Maasai, and lawyer for one of the suspects, denounces “a political trial”.
“ Twelve of the 27 suspects were arrested before the crimes they are charged with, explains the lawyer, joined by Christina Okello of the Africa editorial staff. They were detained in Arusha, and the victim was reportedly killed in Loliondo, nearly 300 kilometers away.
How it is possible ? It must be political. And all of them are in fact people engaged in politics.
The case was brought before a court that does not have jurisdiction to try murder cases. Bringing defendants before a court that is not empowered to try them is a common practice in Tanzania.
On the other hand, regarding the charge of conspiracy, the court of Arusha has jurisdiction. We therefore do not understand why the hearing was postponed twice. If the investigation is incomplete for the facts of conspiracy, these charges must be dropped.
The Prosecutor cannot bring crimes such as conspiracy to court until the investigation is complete, otherwise these charges are premature.
But they know they won’t get enough evidence to convict anyone, that’s why they say the investigation is incomplete.. »
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The policeman was killed on Friday June 10 in northern Tanzania during confrontations with the local Maasai community which opposes the installation of “beacons” separating areas of human habitat and wild animals, according to a local official. For several years, the Maasai of Loliondo have been opposing the Tanzanian authorities, whom they accuse of wanting to expel them from part of their historic habitat area to make it an area reserved for safaris and private hunting, which the government denies it. He claims to want to protect 1,500 km² of the 4,000 km² of this region located not far from the Serengeti Park from human activities, leaving 2,500 km² to the Maasai shepherds.