Ex RC Nawanda arrested for alleged sodomy

SIMIYU: POLICE in Mwanza region have arrested former Simiyu Regional Commissioner Dr Yahaya Nawanda (46)  on accusation of sodomising a female University student (name withheld).

Mwanza Regional Police Commissioner (RPC) Mr Wilbroad Mutafungwa told reporters here yesterday that Dr Nawanda who is also Nyaumata Street resident in Bariadi District in Simiyu Region, was arrested in Mwanza City at around midday.

Mr Mutafungwa said the accused was alleged to have committed the crime on 2nd June this year in Ilemela Municipality in the city.

He said police in Mwanza Region are holding him while investigations are ongoing thereafter his file will be forwarded to the National Prosecution Office for further legal action.

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“The suspect is arrested and he is now being interrogated by other investigative institutions too in Mwanza Region,” he pointed out.

Elaborating, he urged the residents to continue reporting crimes and criminals, who are in their midst so that Mwanza residents become free from crime.

Equally, he urged the public not to engage in circulating and reporting gender based violent incidents on the social media, saying that hurts the suspected victims and perpetrators without being proved guilty or not by the court.

“The victim (student) is subjected to psychological torture especially when people continue circulating such an incident in the social media,” he said.

On the existence of an allegation doing rounds on the social media that student distanced herself from the case on political grounds, the RPC said it is a crime for any person to judge and more so conduct such a case outside the court.

He said the cancellation of the case and the statement made on the social media are also being followed at the Police Headquarters in Mwanza city.

“Though the circulating information on the social media is not the major part of the investigation…the complainant in this case is the United Republic of Tanzania and the victim remains a witness,” he explained.

“Let me assure you that the matter has nothing to do with the investigation of our case, that is here to say (street matters), our case is well settled, and the investigation has been conducted with professionalism in accordance with the instructions involving the entire criminal justice chain,” he said.