Police arrests 26 suspects in D’Salaam crackdown

POLICE in Dar es Salaam have arrested 26 suspects involved in vehicle thefts and armed robbery during a crackdown in various parts of the commercial capital

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Simon Sirro, told reporters yesterday 22 suspects were nabbed on suspicion of car thefts. He said 10 out of the 22 suspects were arrested on December 11 at Keko Magurumbasi and Chang’ombe in Temeke municipality respectively.

They are alleged to have robbed pedestrians of various properties, which include laptops, mobile phones, cash and other valuables. Sirro mentioned some of the suspects as Ayubu Amiri (19), Shabani Fadhili, (18), Herman Francis, (26), and seven others.

“During preliminary interrogation, the suspects admitted to have robbed different people in separate areas of the city,” he said. The preliminary investigation established that a suspect, one Herman Francis, faces murder charges of stabbing a person to death in March, this year.

He said other 12 suspects were arrested at Chang’ombe traffic lights on Monday. He gave their names a Sande Kassim, (18), Emmanuel Abel, (21), Paulo Abel, (18), Jaffari Nyerere, (22), Hamis Salum, (22) and Hemed Idrisa, (22).

They will appear in the court pending investigations. Sirro said four suspects -- Mashaka Ally, (62), Juma Kajeni (35), Hamad Kaganda, (38), and Mshamu Ally, (32), are being held on suspicion of stealing vehicles in various parts of Dar es Salaam.

They were arrested on Monday and are helping police in their investigations. Meanwhile, police have recovered three vehicles that were reported stolen in Dar es Salaam recently. The vehicles were impounded in the regions of Mbeya, Morogoro and Dar es Salaam.

The recovered vehicles are Toyota Verosa No. T 386 CGY, property of Abraham Robert, a resident of Dar es Salaam, Toyota IST with registration No. T 946 DGH, a property of Hamad Said of Kimara in Dar es Salaam and Mitsubishi Canter with registration No. T 753 CZV, property of one, Magreth.

In another development, Commander Sirro urged journalists who feel threatened by the words of Reverend Anthon Lusekelo to report the matter to police for legal action.

The cleric, popularly known as ‘Mzee wa Upako’ was recently reported to have used harsh words against journalists who reported of an incident in which he used abusive language to his neighbours at Dar es Salaam’s suburb of Kawe.

Daily News