Mwangosi death case under way

By: Unknown on 12:55 AM

The Iringa Police Commander Michael Kamuhanda.

Room No.2 in the Iringa High Court was packed on Thursday with people eager to follow the preliminary hearing of a murder case in which police are accused of shooting dead Daudi Mwangosi while on duty in September 2012.

 

Judge Dr Paul Kihwelo presided over the death case of journalist Mwangosi, killed during a function to open a CHADEMA branch office at Nyololo Village in Mufindi District.

 

The murder case involves Police Constable Pacificus Simon who is accused of killing Daudi Mwangosi. Advocate Rwezaula Kaijage is defending Simon.

 

Mwangosi, 40, then a reporter with the private television station, Channel Ten, was allegedly shot during a confrontation with CHADEMA supporters when the police arrested Godfrey Mushi from Nipashe newspaper.

 

Mwangosi, who was also Iringa Region’s press club chairman, was covering the event to open the branch of the opposition political party attended by the opposition party’s supporters at the village.

 

It was also alleged that CHADEMA supporters had gathered at Nyololo in defiance of a ban on political meetings imposed by the police.

The then Iringa Police Commander Michael Kamuhanda had stated that Mwangosi died from a heavy object that was thrown at him by CHADEMA supporters.

 

The first witness in the murder Saidi Mnunka, a retired FFU police and then the Office Command (OC), was testifying before the court. The trial continues on Wednesday.