Tanzania: Traditional Healer Charged With Over 20m/ - Fraud

 By Faustine Kapama

TRADITIONAL healer Seleman Ally Matonga, alias Dr Shija, appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrates' Court in Dar es Salaam on Monday charged with obtaining over 27m/- from a woman on

the pretext that he could bring back her dead husband.

The 33-year-old resident of Kiwalani in the city is alleged to have obtained such amount of money from Ms Zainabu Nirumbe, alias Jobya, on two different occasions.

He denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Yusto Ruboroga. The case was adjourned until tomorrow for bail considerations.

State Attorney Neema Mushi informed the court that investigations into the matter had not been completed.

Prosecuting, the trial attorney alleged that the accused person committed the offences between April 13 and 15, 2020 in different areas in the city.

It is alleged that on April 13, 2020 at Mbezi Beach in Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam, with intent to defraud, Dr Shija obtained from Ms Nirumbe 12,390,000/- by falsely pretending that he was a traditional healer, which was untrue.

The court was also told that on April 15, 2020 at New General Post Office in Ilala District in the city, the accused person also allegedly obtained 15m/- from Ms Nirumbe on similar pretext that he was a traditional healer, while he was not.

Meanwhile, two people, Twaha Sultan, alias Manguli (32), and Abeid Ismail, alias Mikindani (32), were brought before the same court yesterday, accused of two counts of conspiracy to commit an offence and trafficking in narcotic drugs.

Sultan, a resident of Mji Mpya Kisemvule and Ismail, who resides in Vijibweni, Kigamboni, denied the charges before Principal Resident Magistrate Cassian Matembele.

They were remanded in custody because the offence of trafficking in drugs is not bailable. The case was adjourned until February 8, 2021 for mention.

The prosecution, led by State Attorney Faraji Nguka, informed the court that investigations into the matter were not complete.

It is alleged that on January 6, 2021 at Azam Sea Link, Dar es Salaam Port, in Ilala District, in the city, the two accused persons conspired to commit an offence of trafficking in narcotic drugs.

The prosecution told the court that on the same day and place in the city, Twaha Sultan and Abeid Ismail were allegedly found trafficking narcotic drugs, namely cannabis sativa, commonly known as bhang, weighing 26.86kg