Bull Bucka
Member
- Oct 5, 2023
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In a recent ruling on November 6, the Iringa Resident Magistrate's Court in Tanzania delivered a verdict that has ignited a debate surrounding its fairness.
Maria Ngoda, a widow residing in the Iringa region of Tanzania, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the possession of a bucket containing pieces of antelope meat, a violation of Tanzanian law, according to local media Tanzania Web.
The evidence presented during the trial revealed that Ngoda was apprehended with the bucket in close proximity to her residence, where she was allegedly selling the meat, with an estimated total value of Tanzanian Shilling 900,000 (approximately $359.10).
During her defense, Ngoda acknowledged possessing the bucket but claimed she had received it from an individual named Fute and had been initially unaware of its contents. "After some time, the Village Chairman and the police came and detained me, alleging that I was selling wild game meat. I told them that the bucket wasn't mine, it belonged to a man called Fute. They took me to Fute, who, despite being identified and acknowledged, was forced to hand over the bucket to me. Subsequently, I was taken to the police station and charged with possession of government property and economic sabotage," she told the court.
Mixed reactions emerge
The court's decision has elicited a range of mixed reactions from legal experts and stakeholders due to concerns regarding the conduct of the case. Notably, the defendant lacked proper legal representation throughout the trial
In response to the verdict, several organizations have come forward to support the widow in her legal battle. Habari Leo reported that the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), the Bar association of Tanzania Mainland has assigned ten lawyers to prepare and represent the widow in her appeal against the 22-year sentence.
The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) has also expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict. Dr. Anna Henga, the Executive Director of LHRC, stated in a press release on November 8, 2023, "This incident highlights significant challenges within the legal system in the country and underscores the urgent need for crucial reforms in the legal systems."
The Chama cha Mapinduzi's women's wing, UWT, has also pledged to explore avenues to assist the woman in appealing the judgment and ensuring that she receives proper legal representation to secure her rights, according to Habari Leo.
Debate over sentence length
However, prior to these developments, some citizens have expressed their dissatisfaction with the verdict, drawing comparisons with the case of Chinese national Yang Feng Glan, also known as the 'Ivory queen.'
Yang was found guilty in 2019 of operating one of Africa's largest ivory-smuggling rings, responsible for smuggling tusks worth $2.5 million from around 400 elephants. She received a 15-year prison sentence for her involvement in smuggling hundreds of elephant tusks.
This has led some Tanzanians to question the 22-year sentence handed to Maria Ngoda for a less severe offense compared to Yang's extensive ivory smuggling crimes.
The case continues to spark debates on fairness, representation, and sentencing within the legal system, drawing attention from both local and international observers.
