mtu kitu
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 23, 2011
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| From a Correspondent in Zanzibar SIX religious leaders have appeared before Ethics Committee for Religious Leaders and Community Privileges and confessed to have been engaged in drug trafficking and trade. The confession comes few weeks after President Jakaya Kikwete revealed that there were some clerics engaged in narcotic drugs trade. Public Relations Officer of Zanzibar's Police Inspector Mohammed Mhina, said on Sunday that after long interrogation the leaders confessed but asked not to be named. However, the Chairman of the Committee, Rev William Mwamalanga of Pentecostal Church of Tanzania said here that the list of the religious leaders would be submitted to the Head of Anti-Narcotic Drug Unit. He said the names of six religious leaders and 18 others including some prominent businessmen would be submitted to the Head of the Unit. Rev Mwamalanga stated that business on illicit drugs was on the rise and his committee would meet with similar ones in the East African region to discuss the matter. He said the meeting would recommend to parliaments in the region to enact laws to confiscate property of drug barons. The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Co-ordination, Policy and Parliamentary Affairs), Mr William Lukuvi, recently told the National Assembly that a pastor of Lord's Chosen Charistmatic Revival Church had been arrested after being found with 81 kilogrammes of cocaine at Kunduchi area in Dar es Salaam. Although he failed to mention the name of the arrested pastor, the minister said that the church has many followers and located at Kinondoni Biafra in Dar es Salaam. "His followers could have been asking the whereabouts of their pastor, they'll now know we're holding him. And this church has other branches in Arusha, Mwanza, Kenya, South Africa and Britain," Mr Lukuvi said. The Parliamentary Committee for Constitution, Justice and Administration recently expressed grave concerns over involvement of "God's servants" in such business and called for their prosecution. Rev Mwamalanga, however, said that his committee was impressed and commended efforts made by the police in the Isles in combatting drug trafficking. Regional Police Commander for Zanzibar Urban West (RPC), Mr Aziz Juma Mohammed, said that his force had managed to arrest many businessmen and users of illicit drugs. He said most of them have appeared in court. Mr Aziz called on members of the public and stakeholders of security to volunteer information leading to arrest of drug syndicates. Last week, two residents of Dar es Salaam were nabbed in separate occasions at Zanzibar International Airport with substantial amounts of cocaine from Brazil. Two weeks ago, the government announced in the National Assembly that it would soon expose drug barons and other illicit drug operatives in the House. Mr Lukuvi said the barons and the operatives would be shown in video. | |
