Mystery continues to shroud death of UDOM student as lawyers demand body to be exhumed

 

Nusura Abdallah

By The Citizen Reporter

Media/news company Mwananchi Communication Limmited

Summary

·         The initiation of the investigation is based on what was stated by the police as reports from social networks claiming there is a link between the incident and the accident that involved the Deputy Minister of Tamisemi, Dr. Festo Dugange, on April 26.

Moshi. With mystery still shrouding the circumstances under which University of Dodoma student Nusura Abdallah died and was later buried in Singida, criminal lawyers are demanding that her body be exhumed for an independent postmortem.

They say the exhumation will guide forensic investigations into the real cause of death.

According to the lawyers, in the event that it was an accident that affected body parts, whether she was hit or even poisoned, it can all be identified after taking body samples.

This comes at a time when the Police Force’s spokesperson, David Misime, has announced that the force has started an investigation in collaboration with the DPP’s office, the Government Chief Chemist, and other interested parties.

The initiation of the investigation is based on what was stated by the police as reports from social networks claiming there is a link between the incident and the accident that involved the Deputy Minister of Tamisemi, Dr. Festo Dugange, on April 26.

Ironically, reports by the police in Dodoma refute the reports saying the minister was the lone occupant of the ill-fated vehicle.

Apart from that, the police said that they are investigating due to the presence of two other concepts: one is that his death may have been the result of a beating from the person who is alleged to be Nusurat’s lover, and the other is that her death was due to an illness connected to blood sugar.

The information from Faraja Hospital doctor Peter Minja, who received it, says that she was brought to the hospital on May 1, 2023, between two and three in the morning by her boyfriend in a critical condition.

The other day, the Chairman of the Tanzania Human Rights and Good Governance Commission (THBUB), retired Judge Mathew Mwaimu, said his commission would conduct an independent investigation to determine the truth about the death.

Judge Mwaimu said the commission recognizes the presence of agencies dealing with criminal justice issues, especially the Police Force and the National Prosecution Office, and respects those agencies, but it will conduct an independent investigation.

While the police and the commission are investigating, the Executive Director of the Law and Human Rights Center (LHRC), Anna Henga, said that in order to find out the truth,

She says it is important to create an independent commission to investigate instead of the police because, from the beginning, they showed that they were dragging their feet regarding the matter.

"Should it please the President, she should form a commission of people who will be independent; it is possible that at the regional level they will conduct their own investigation so that an independent report can be obtained rather than relying on the police, who chose silence," she said.

She then added, It is possible that people have lost faith in the police and the Human Rights Commission because they are all under the government. In order to remove this controversy and find answers to this incident, it is good that other organs investigate as well.

Hudson Ndusyepo, a former police officer, a prosecutor, and now a lawyer, said in a state of uncertainty and doubt about the incident, there are questions about why the body was not taken for a postmortem.

"According to procedure, it is the police that are responsible for investigating in the sense of gathering evidence to find out whether it was an accident or murder," he said.

"The DPP is only involved after the police confirm that it is not an accident but murder so that he can advise or oversee the type of evidence that should be considered, but the Chief Government Chemist will also be involved in some areas. He will be involved if more evidence is collected, such as DNA or forensic evidence, and in order for everything to be completed, the body of the deceased will have to be exhumed and undergo a professional examination," said the lawyer.

On his part, lawyer Patrick Paul said the investigation should be done by order of the court so that the body is exhumed and a postmortem examination is done by an independent investigator.

The chairman of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Kilimanjaro region, David Shillatu, said the student's death is surrounded by many controversies, so the government's investigation agencies must go to work to clear the air.

"The police force has decided to conduct an investigation; it is a good thing, and we should support it. The biggest thing we should get from this commission is a clear result that does not present more questions," said Shillatu.