Tanzania: Appeal Court Affirms Death Penalty in Church Blast

Arusha — The Court of Appeal in Tanzania has confirmed the death penalty for six individuals convicted of terrorist offenses, including the 2013 bombing of the Burka Roman Catholic Parish Church in Olasiti, which resulted in three deaths and numerous injuries. The court dismissed the appeals raised by Abashari Omary, Yusuph Hutta, Ramadhani Waziri, Abdul Juma, Kassim Ramadhan, and Japhari Lema, thereby confirming the convictions and sentencing handed down by the High Court.

The justices of the Court of Appeal ruled that the trial court had correctly evaluated the evidence and found the case beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution had presented a case based on cautionary statements made by the accused, which were corroborated by their own defense testimonies and a series of circumstantial evidence.

Despite the appellants' claims that their convictions were unsafe due to insufficient corroboration, the court found that the trial court had properly directed itself on the rules of caution and made a balanced assessment of the evidence. The court also ruled that the conspiracy charge could not stand, as the substantive offense of terrorist acts had already been proven.

The case originated from the May 5, 2013, bombing at the church during a religious ceremony, which killed three worshippers and injured over 50 others.