Lema in fresh bid to get bail after months in custody

The hearing of an appeal filed by the embattled Arusha Urban MP Godbless Lema against a Resident Magistrate’s Court decision to deny him bail in alleged incitement case facing him will finally commence at the Court of Appeal this morning.

Three Judges of the Court of Appeal Bernard Luwanda, Musa Kipenka and Lady Justice Stella Mugasha will hear the appeal from lawyers defending the outspoken legislator who has been in remand prison since November 2nd last year.

The Arusha Resident Magistrate’s Court in November refused to grant bail to the MP who is defended by Peter Kibatala, John Malya, Sheck Mfinanga and Faraji Mabula. Mr Lema has today marked 117 days behind bars awaiting his trial.

However, the case on whether he should be granted bail or not has degenerated into legal wrangles between the lawyers from both sides.

Towards the end of December, after the lawmaker had spent nearly two months in custody, the court decided that an application filed by the MP against being denied bail be referred to the Court of Appeal for hearing.

Mr Lema has been charged with incitement against the authority during a series of meetings he addressed in Arusha in October last year. Most of his attacks were allegedly directed to President John Magufuli.

The outspoken lawmaker was arrested on November 2 while attending a Parliament session in Dodoma for alleged incitement against the government and the Head of State.

He and his wife Neema are alleged to have insulted the Arusha Regional Commissioner Mrisho Gambo through a text message.

As the case progressed in December last year, senior state attorneys Paul Kadushi and Maternus Marando blocked the application for bail by Lema, arguing that it was not tenable under the revised laws on criminal procedures.