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Tanzania: Boxing Boss Charged With Drug Trafficking
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The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
9 July 2008
Posted to the web 9 July 2008
Rosina John
The President of the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT), Alhaji Shaban Mintanga, yesterday appeared before a Dar es Salaam court, facing charges of trafficking narcotic drugs worth Sh120 million.
Mr Mintanga was charged in the sensational case, which emanates from recent arrests of Tanzanian boxers after they were found with the drugs in Mauritius.
And the matter has ruined Tanzania's participation in the forthcoming Beijing, China Olympics since the arrest on June 11 of two boxers by police in Port Luis, Mauritious, for allegedly possessing 373 pellets of heroine weighing six kilogrammes.
The 50-year old sports official allegedly trafficked the drugs from Tanzania to Mauritius. He was yesterday brought before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Euphemia Mingi at around midday and immediately denied two counts of trafficking 4.8 kilogrammes of heroine.
The court ordered that he be remanded in custody until August 16 when the court will rule on his bail arguments.
Prosecuting, Assistant Commissioner of Police Charles Kenyella told the court that Mintanga and six other people, at an unknown place within the city, conspired to traffic the drugs.
He further alleged that on June 10 this year the BFT official trafficked drugs worth Sh120 million from the country to Mauritius.
After reading the charges ACP Kenyella told the court that investigations into the case were incomplete and asked the court not to grant bail to the accused. He argued that the offence was not eligible for bail.
The ACP added that despite the accused having the right to bail, the court is only allowed to consider bail if the value of trafficked drugs was below Sh10 million.
In addition, he said the other accused persons, who were not before the court, were likely to interfere if released.
The Counsellor of the accused, Mr Jerome Msemwa, dismissed the prosecution's arguments saying the suspect had a constitutional right that holds that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
Mr Msemwa added that the accused was a respected personality and a resident of Dar es Salaam.
He also wondered why his client was charged locally in a court that may have no jurisdiction to hear this particular case, while the others who were arrested for the same offence were in Mauritius.
Replying to the argument, ACP Kenyella said that the defence counsellor's plea was against the Criminal Procedure Act and asked the court to dismiss it.
Magistrate Mingi said she would make a ruling on bail on August 16 and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison.
The arrested boxers, Elia Nathael and Ally Rajabu have already been charged in Mauritius along with other four Tanzanians who were arrested for the same offence.
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The other apprehended are Mr Irengo Nassor Michael from Mwanza, Mtwanga Charles from Dar es Salaam- a TPDF soldier, Mr Paulino Ptrick and Mr Case Ramdhani, both from Dar es Salaam.
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