Tundu freed, rearrested over undisclosed charges

Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday set free opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Tundu Lissu on four incitement related counts.

The plain cloth police officers, however, rearrested the legislator immediately after stepping outside the courtroom and drove him to the Central Police Station for questioning on undisclosed offences.

The Singida East lawmaker was earlier accused of uttering derogatory statements on the government of Zanzibar, allegedly intending to cause discontent and ill-will for unlawful purposes.

Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi discharged Lissu, who is also Chief Legal Advisor with Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided to drop the charges against him.

The DPP entered nolle prosequi certificate, which was presented in court by State Attorney Paul Kadushi, under section 91 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The prosecution told the court that the DPP had lost interest in prosecuting the lawmaker on the offences he was charged with. But, immediately after leaving the courtroom, he was arrested and whisked to Central Police Station.

‘Daily News’ efforts to reach the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Simon Sirro to establish the reason behind the arrest proved failure, as his assistant said he was in a meeting.

However, Lissu’s lawyer Peter Kibatala told this paper yesterday evening over the phone that his client was released on bail and instructed to report to the Central Police Station next Monday.

According to Kibatala, police alleged that Mr Lissu had uttered rabble-rousing words while in election campaign in Zanzibar recently.