Court acquits seven implicated in Mashali death

KISUTU Resident magistrate court in Dar es Salaam has acquitted seven people allegedly to have attacked professional boxer, Thomas Mashali before he died later at Muhimbili Hospital in 2006.

The people  were released after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) decided to quash the case  as it had no intention of continuing with it due to lack of evidence.

Delivering the sentence before the court on Wednesday, the Principal Resident Magistrate Yusto Rubologa, said the decision was given out by the magistrate after the State Attorney, Nancy Mushumbusi presented the document to the court under section 91 (1) of the criminal procedure act (CPA).

The suspects who released included Issa Kassim, Ramadhani Ally, Athuman Bakari, Charles Fadhil, Mohamed Kassimu, Joseph Jacob and Emmanuel Michael who have been held by Police since 2016

On the part of the state Attorney, Nancy Mushumbusi said, all the suspects were arrested at different times and brought before the police for allegedly involvement in the mysterious death of the boxer following a dispute with the motorcyclist (bodaboda) who took him to the Kimara area of Dar es Salaam.

She added that there was a dispute over payment between Mashali and the motorcyclist, a situation that led to the mob attack on Mashali thinking he was a petty thief.

It was alleged that Mashali was attacked by the mob at midnight in Kimara, Bonyokwa area to the extent that his head was severely cut and he died while being admitted to Muhimbili National Hospital after being referred from Sinza Palestina Hospital.

Mashali who  was a member of Tanzania Professional Boxing Organization (TPBO), died on the night of 31 October 2016 at Kimara Bonyokwa areas, Dar es Salaam of severe wounds.

Mashali, who once won several titles including the UBO World, started boxing in 2009. The website shows Mashali played 25 fights, won 19 and lost five and had one draw with Karama Nyilawila.