TZW
He was not allowed to enter a plea to the charge because the case will be tried by the High Court. Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba adjourned the case to March 28, when it will come up for mention.
The prosecution said Investigations into the matter had not been completed. The prosecution read out the charge against the TPDF staff while on a hospital bed, as he could not walk on his own as he was nursing a bullet wound on his right leg. The accused person was brought at the court premises in an army ambulance from Lugalo Hospital where he is admitted.
It is alleged that Private Mlaku, who resides at Makongo Juu Military Camp, committed the offence on October 30, 2017 atUpanga TPDF Headquarters in Ilala District in the city of Dar es Salaam. He is alleged to have killed the commando by shooting him several times. There are claims from impeccable sources that on the material day, a certain patient was taken to Lugalo Hospital at night for some treatment.
Doctors at the hospital allegedly found the patient’s case too complicated for them to handle. It is alleged that the patient was referred to Muhimbili National Hospital. However, the referral hospital could not admit the patient before receiving a permit from the TPDF Headquarters. Some nurse soldiers went to Upanga army offices to process the permit. It is further alleged that upon reaching there, Private Mlaku, who was on duty, allegedly blocked their access to the compound since it was late at night.
Their spirited efforts to convince him didn’t succeed, and they were instead placed under arrest by the fully armed Mlaku. Sources further state that, in the wake of the dramatic turn of events, some senior army officers were sent to the scene to resolve the matter. However, they, too, were placed under arrest by the accused person, who allegedly turned violent and threatened to kill them.
It was in the wake of the drama that some commandos, including the deceased, were despatched to the scene. Things turned sour as the deceased was shot several times while attempting to disarm the accused person.
In the process, it is alleged that one of the soldiers shoot the accused person on his right leg before he was disarmed and arrested. The accused was subsequently taken to Lugalo Hospital where he was admitted.