Tanzania: Family of Rights Activist Speaks Out

By Asna Kaniki and Louis Kolumbia

Dar es Salaam — The family of the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) lawyer, Mr Tito Magoti, has said it is still in fear after the police revealed that they were holding him, although they

did not indicate where he is being held.

Speaking yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Mr Edwin Magoti - who is the brother of Mr Tito - said the police should reveal at which police station he is being kept.

"We felt some relief when the police said they were holding him, but our relief turned into fear when the police did not reveal where he is being held," he said.

The brother said Tito has always being a good man and he had no quarell with anybody.

"Tito did not tell us whether he had a misunderstanding with anyone, and he had just started his annual leave when he was seized," he said.

He asked the police to reveal where his brother is being kept, and also say what he has been accused of.

The Legal and Human Rights Center (LHRC) has also said it would use legal and judicial procedures to secure bail for Mr Magoti.

Mr Magoti, 26, was forcefully taken by unknown people on Friday last week in the Mwenge area of Kinondoni District as he was coming from Kimara, where he lives.

However, addressing journalists yesterday, the LHRC executive director, Anna Henga, said the laws of the country provide for suspects to be granted bail or arraigned in court within 24 hours of arrest.

"Tito has spent 48 hours in custody which will increase by end of the day. He was supposed to be granted bail because it is his right. We will, therefore, use legal and judicial procedures for him to be bailed," she said.

She said LHRC visited all major police stations in the Kinondoni Region looking foe Tito, but in vein.

"In the human rights context, this is a very bad incident because if this is happening to a human rights advocate, what could be the case for an ordinary citizen?" Ms Henga wondered.

She reiterated her call that law enforcers should make public the police station at which he is being held, charges he is facing in order avoid unnecessary inconveniences to his family, relatives and friends.

Pressure from human rights activists, opposition political parties and human rights defenders mounted in social media outlets, leading to the launching of an online campaign dubbed #FreeTitoMagoti.

The six men in plain clothes confronted the young lawyer soon after he got off a motorcycle taxi commonly known as 'bodaboda,' handcuffed and bundled him into a milky Toyota Harrier and disappeared with him to a still unknown destination.

But, a few hours later, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Lazaro Mambosasa, issued a statement refuting abduction claims, saying that Tito had been arrested alongside three other people.

"They're in the safe hands of law enforcers. They're being interrogated over crime charges at a police station," he said in a statement without disclosing the police station where he was been kept, or any charges against him.

Contacted yesterday, Mr Mambosasa said, "The police station at which Magoti is being held will remain a secret. However, we will issue a statement tomorrow (Monday)."

In a statement by Chadema yesterday signed by the main opposition political party's head of Communications, Mr Tumaini Makene, said the party strongly condemns violation of human rights, laws and principles of good governance by police when executing their duties.

"Police as other government institutions should know that they are not above the law," reads the Chadema statement in part.