A Tanzanian court sentenced four men to life imprisonment for a gang rape case that has outraged the nation, particularly after a video of the assault circulated widely on social media.
The court, located in Dodoma, also ordered each defendant to compensate the victim with one million Tanzanian shillings (approximately $365).
The assault, which occurred in May, came to public attention when a former local mayor posted about it on X (formerly Twitter) on August 4, prompting strong condemnation from human rights organizations.
The four accused were apprehended five days later and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial, which began on August 20, was conducted behind closed doors to safeguard the identity of the victim, referred to only as “XY.”
Renatus Mkude, an assistant director at the public prosecution office, announced, “The case concluded today, and the four received life sentences.”
Defense attorney Godfrey Wasonga indicated that he was ready to appeal if his clients requested it, arguing, “There are several legal deficiencies in the charge sheet that the court did not address.”
The case gained significant attention after Boniface Jacob, a former mayor of Ubungo, a district in Dar es Salaam, shared details about the incident on X, tagging President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the national police.
He claimed the assailants were believed to be affiliated with the Tanzanian armed forces, although this has not been confirmed.
The incident sparked widespread outrage in Tanzania and prompted scrutiny of the government’s response.
The police issued an apology after Dodoma’s regional commander, Theopista Mallya, referred to the victim as “a sex worker” and characterized the attackers as “ordinary drunkards.”
In response, the Legal and Human Rights Centre criticized, “Does the fact that someone is engaging in sex work justify being subjected to acts of violence like rape?”
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