NEW DEVELOPMENT EMERGE IN THE CASE OF WIDOW SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN IRINGA

Widow Maria Ngoda being taken to Iringa Prison after being sentenced by the Resident Magistrate's Court in Iringa to serve a 22-year prison term for being found in possession of 12 pieces of antelope meat.

Journalist from Matukio Daima Media, Francis Godwin (Right), conducting an interview yesterday with the family of Maria Ngoda, a widow who was sentenced to 22 years in prison by the Resident Magistrate's Court in Iringa for being found in possession of 12 pieces of antelope meat.

By Matukio DaimaApp, Iringa 

NEW  developments have emerged in the case of Maria Ngoda, a widow who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for being found in possession of 12 pieces of Swala meat, which is in violation of the law.

Speaking to a Matukio Daima reporter at her home in Zizi Street, Isakalilo Ward, Iringa District, Iringa Region, Maria's sister, Abelia Myumbilwa, revealed that Maria used to earn her living through various odd jobs, including selling fish at local bars and earning between 1000 and 2000 Tanzanian Shillings per day.

"As a family, we were shocked to hear that our sister has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, and at this point, we don't know what to do. Even if the cost of hiring a lawyer is 50,000 Shillings, none of us can afford that," said Maria's sister, tears welling up in her eyes.

Before the sentencing, Maria had spent four months in remand due to her relatives, who were her sureties, becoming frustrated with the constant police reporting requirements. They withdrew their surety, leading to Maria staying in remand. Even on the day of her sentencing, she was brought from the remand, and until now, after five months, she has not returned home, starting her 22-year prison sentence.

Maria has four children, three of them older, and one unable to continue secondary education due to financial constraints.

"The school contribution that her youngest child was supposed to pay was 20,000 Shillings, and the inability to pay this led to the child dropping out of school," Maria's sister explained.

When asked about the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) program, Maria's sister stated that Maria did not receive any assistance from TASAF, even though she qualified for it. She appealed to the government to help Maria and her family, who relied on Maria's income.

In addition to various odd jobs such as laundry, farming, selling fish, and delivering vegetables, Maria also worked in stone crushing in the mountains to obtain gravel for sale.

Janeth Mdindile, Maria's young daughter, expressed uncertainty about their mother's future. While in remand, some people offered to help, but they received no assistance.

Neighbors who knew Maria mentioned that they had never seen her selling meat, only fish and leafy vegetables. They questioned the source of the Swala meat and suggested that it should be tested to confirm if it is indeed Swala meat. They also wondered why the person who allegedly gave her the meat was not investigated by the police.

Deo Msemwa, the Ward Councillor for Isakalilo, expressed their surprise at the verdict and called on legislators to review various laws.

Regarding Maria's absence from the TASAF program, he was uncertain why she was not included when she met the qualifications and was following up on her child's education issue.

Emmanuel Chengula, a private attorney in the region, noted that there have been substantial discussions on social media and in the media about the verdict. Many have criticized the judge and the court, but Chengula emphasized that the blame should be directed towards lawmakers who created the laws.

Joshua Chusi, Chairman of the Legal Aid Desk of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), stated that they continue to provide legal aid to those unable to afford a lawyer. Over five people have benefitted from TLS's legal aid this year, and he encouraged individuals facing economic challenges to seek assistance at the TLS office in Iringa, just like Maria.

Moses Ambindwile, Chairman of TLS Iringa, explained that they have initiated the legal process to assist the widow. They have obtained a copy of the judgment, which they will review before filing an appeal within the legal timeframe.

The verdict was delivered on November 3, this year, by Chief Resident Magistrate of Iringa Region, Said Mkasiwa, after confirming that the widow, who has four children, was found in possession of meat with a value of 900,000 Tanzanian Shillings, which is against the law.

In her defense, the widow admitted to having the bucket of meat, which she claimed was given to her by someone named Fute without knowing what kind of meat it contained. She said she was forced to carry the bucket and was subsequently arrested for possession of government property and economic sabotage.