Attacker of police officer lands 32-year jail sentence

The Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court yesterday sentenced a Dar es Salaam resident, Adam Juma (27), to 32 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of stabbing a police officer, armed robbery and stealing from him property worth 425,000/-.

The sentence was given by Resident Magistrate Said Msuya.
While delivering the judgment the Magistrate said the prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence.

As a result, he said the accused will go to jail for 30 years for the offence of armed robbery, and another two years for the offence of assault. The sentence will run concurrently.

Magistrate Msuya said that the accused will in addition receive 12 strokes, six as he begins serving his jail term and another six after completing.

The prosecutor, Assistant Inspector of Police Francis Mboya, had earlier asked the court to exercise no leniency with the accused saying many youth didn`t want to work for a living but instead were embarking on robbing innocent people.

He added that the same had now started to rob police officers while on duty in acts that resulted in injuring them.

In his mitigation, the accused asked the court to be lenient with him because he was only a first offender.

In the main case, it was charged that on July 7, last year along Jamhuri and Azikiwe streets in Ilala District, the accused, Adam Juma (27), stole a phone and 300,000/- cash all valued at 425,000/-, the property of police officer F5400 Constable Julius.

It was also stated that in order to accomplish his wish, the accused did cut Juma�s hand with a knife.

It was also alleged that, the accused did assault Cpl Abdallah with a knife.