By Arusha News Reporter
Police in Arusha have arrested a total of 148 suspects in connection with various criminal offences, including gender-based violence, drug possession and distillation of the illicit liquor known locally as “gongo” in the last two months.
The Regional Police Commander (RPC), Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP), Justine Masejo, said that 51 suspects were pulled in for gender-based violence, including 29 for rape while 22 others for sodomy.
“One suspect has already been convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The remaining cases are currently at various stages of court proceedings,” RPC Masejo said.
Police also nabbed 67 suspects in anti-narcotics swoops, with 29 of them seized for possession of 969 kilogrammes of khat, while 22 others were caught with 22.3 kilogrammes of cannabis.
Four of the drug suspects have since been convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison each, while another one received a 20-year sentence.
The law enforcers also cracked down on the distillation of the illicit liquor, locally known as “moshi,” arresting 30 suspects in possession of 210 litres and nine crude distillation plants. All have been charged in court, with their cases proceeding at different stages of hearing.
