Kenyan national jailed for illegal entry

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court has sentenced Joel Musyoma Obiero (18), a Kenyan national three months in jail or pay a fine of 500,000/- for entering and staying in Tanzania without fulfilling legal requirements.

Resident Magistrate Evodia Kyaruzi reached such a decision after hearing and determining the two charges and the defence made by the accused.

According to the charge sheet, Obiero committed the offence of illegal entry on July 7, 2023.

When quizzed by the state attorney Godfrey Ngwinjo, the accused admitted to have entered and stayed in the country without any permit.

During the hearing, the accused pleaded with the court to pardon him for he was not aware that what he was doing was against the law.

When cross-examined by the state attorney, Musyoma had no serious defence, telling the court that a friend of his brought him in the country, something that Magistrate Kyaruzi disregarded saying such defence was baseless.

Disregarding the defence by the accused, Kyaruzi used the famous saying among learned brothers, that “Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”

The accused was caught at Chang’ombe, Temeke District in Dar es Salaam, where he was staying.

After the verdict, the accused was sent back to custody for further court procedures, for he had shown intent to pay the fine instead of serving three months in Jail.