Aliyekuwa akiwadai fidia ya Sh306.6 milioni RPC, AG akwaa kisiki mahakamani

Aliyekuwa akiwadai fidia ya Sh306.6 milioni RPC, AG akwaa kisiki mahakamani

Sumbawanga. Aliyefungua kesi ya kudai fidia ya zaidi ya Sh306.6 akwaa kisiki Mahakama Kuu Tanzania.

Limi Mchome mwenye  ualbino, alifungua kesi ya madai akiwadai Kamanda wa Polisi (RPC) Mkoa wa Katavi na wenzake wawili, zaidi ya Sh306.6 milioni kama fidia, baada ya watu wasiojulikana kuukata mkono wake wa kulia na kuondoka nao, licha ya kuwahi kutoa taarifa ya uwepo wa watu waliokuwa wakimfuatilia.

Uamuzi wa kuitupa kesi hiyo ulitolewa jana Jumatatu, Agosti 26, 2024 na Jaji Abubakar Mrisha wa Mahakama Kuu kanda ya Sumbawanga, na kumwamuru pia alipe gharama za kesi baada ya kukubaliana na pingamizi la awali lililowasilishwa na wadaiwa.

Limi  alikatwa mkono wake wa kulia na watu wasiojulikana na wakaondoka nao, hivyo akafungua kesi ya madai akidai fidia hiyo kwa kile alichodai ni uzembe wa RPC na wenzake kutochukua hatua ya kuzuia uhalifu huo.

Katika madai yake alisema miezi kadhaa kabla ya kukatwa mkono, mkuu wa upelelezi Mkoa (RCO) Katavi, alijulishwa juu ya uwepo wa kundi lililokuwa likimtafuta, lakini hakuchukua hatua ya kumlinda, wakati huo akiwa na umri wa miaka 30.

Tukio hilo lilitokea usiku wa Julai 14, 2015 katika Kijiji cha Mwachona Wilaya ya Mlele mkoani Katavi, watu wasioujulikana walivunja mlango wa chumba alichokuwa amelala, huku wakimfungia kaka yake kwa nje ili asitoke.

Limi  alifungua kesi ya madai namba 6 ya 2023 dhidi ya RPC Katavi kama mdaiwa wa kwanza, Katibu Mkuu Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani ya Nchi kama mdaiwa wa pili na Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Serikali (AG) kama mdaiwa wa tatu.

Hata hivyo, wadaiwa hao waliwasilisha pingamizi la awali wakisema kesi hiyo ni mbaya mbele ya macho ya sheria kwa kuwa imefunguliwa nje ya muda wa miaka mitatu unaoruhusiwa kisheria, hivyo wakaiomba mahakama iitupilie mbali kesi hiyo.

Katika kesi hiyo, Limi anayejulikana pia kama Remi Luchoma, aliomba alipwe Sh215 milioni kama fidia ya kukatwa mkono wake wa kulia na Sh85 milioni kama kipato ambacho angepata kama angekuwa na mkono wake kwa miaka 35.

Mbali na madai hayo, alikuwa anadai Sh5 milioni kama malipo ya kupoteza huduma, apewe matunzo ya watoto wake ikiwamo kuwasomesha kwa kuwa hana tena uwezo wa kuwasomesha lakini pia kupatiwa mkono wa kisasa wa bandia.

Hoja za kisheria za pingamizi

Baada ya kufungua kesi hiyo, wadaiwa wakiwakilishwa kortini na wakili wa Serikali Mjahidi Kamugisha, waliwasilisha pingamizi la awali wakisema kesi hiyo imepitwa na muda (time barred) huku Limi akiwakilishwa na wakili Gadiel Sindamenya.

Akitetea pingamizi la awali, wakili Kamugisha alisema kwa kuangalia hati ya madai, kiini chake ni madai ya uzembe  na kwamba madai ya aina hiyo yanatakiwa yafunguliwa mahakamani ndani ya muda wa miaka mitatu tangu uzembe utokee.

“Hii ina maana muda wa kikomo wa kufungua shauri hilo kwa uzembe uliotokea Julai 13,2013 ulimalizika Julai 14,2015. Huu ndio msimamo wa sheria. Madhara ya kufungua kesi nje ya muda ni mahakama kuitupa kwa gharama,” alisema.

Hata hivyo, wakili Sindamenya aliyekuwa akimtetea Limi katika hoja zake alisema pingamizi hilo halina mashiko akisema hoja za wadaiwa zimejikita katika kipengele cha 6 cha sheria ya ukomo sura ya 89 kama ilivyofanyiwa marejeo mwaka 2019.

Kwa maoni yake alisema hiyo sio sawa na ni madai yenye makosa makubwa na kueleza kuwa kosa hilo lilitendeka Julai 14, 2015, upelelezi ukafanyika na watu sita wakakamatwa na kufikishwa kortini kwa kosa la kujaribu kumuua Limi.

Wakili huyo aliongeza kusema kuwa Oktoba 23,2019, washitakiwa 5 walitiwa hatiani na kuhukumiwa kifungo cha maisha jela, akieleza ilikuwa vigumu  kufungua kesi kwa wadaiwa wakati kesi ya jinai ilikuwa bado inaendelea kortini.

Alieleza kuwa baada ya washitakiwa kutiwa hatiani, Limi alikusanya ushahidi wa uzembe anaoulalamikia wa Mkuu wa Upelelezi mkoa (RCO) Mkoa wa  Katavi kwa kushindwa kutimiza wajibu wake wa kulinda raia na mali zao.

Zaidi ya hayo, Sindamenya alisema kulikuwa na siku 60 za kukata rufaa baada ya hukumu ambazo zilimalizika Desemba 23, 2019 na kwamba ni kanuni ya asili kuwa hukumu ya Mahakama Kuu ni lazima ipate baraka za Mahakama ya Rufani.

Wakili huyo alieleza kuwa Februari 8, 2021 alitoa notisi ya siku 90  kwa wadaiwa, hivyo kwa kuhesabu  kuanzia siku ya hukumu hadi siku ambayo alifungua kesi hiyo ya madai, kesi hiyo itakuwa ilifunguliwa ndani ya muda wa kisheria unaotakiwa.

Aliiomba mahakama kuzingatia ibara ya 107(A)(2)(e) ya Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania na kuepuka kufungwa na mambo ya kiufundi ambayo yananyima haki ya msingi, hivyo alitupe pingamizi hilo na kusikiliza kesi ya msingi.

Uamuzi wa jaji ulivyokuwa

Akisoma uamuzi wake kuhusiana na pingamizi hilo, Jaji Mrisha alisema ni jambo ambalo halibishaniwi kuwa mdai alifungua kesi hiyo ya madai ya uzembe dhidi ya wadaiwa, lakini hoja iliyoko mbele yake ni kama kesi imefunguliwa nje ya muda.

Jaji Mrisha alisema mawakili wa pande mbili wanakubaliana kuwa msingi wa kesi hiyo ni madai ya fidia, yanayotokana na uzembe na muda wa kisheria wa kufungua kesi ni ndani ya miaka mitatu na kwamba huo ndio msimamo wa sheria.

Alisema madai ya mdai ni uzembe uliosababishwa na wajibu maombi kwa kushindwa kumlinda asikatwe mkono na kueleza kuwa msingi wa uzembe huo ulitokea 14 Julai 2015, lakini kesi ilifunguliwa Julai 17, 2023.

“Hii inaonyesha ni baada ya miaka sita. Kwa hiyo mdai (Limi) alipaswa kufungua kesi ya madai ya uzembe uliotokea ndani ya miaka mitatu,” alisema Jaji Mrisha.

Hata hivyo, Jaji Mrisha alisema katika wasilisho la mdai aliondoa muda wa usikilizwaji wa kesi ya jinai na tarehe ya hukumu na akaondoa pia muda wa washitakiwa kukata rufaa pamoja na siku 90 za notisi aliyowapa wadaiwa.

Alisema ni msimamo wa sheria kuwa pale kesi inafunguliwa baada ya kupita muda uliowekwa na sheria, mdai ni lazima aonyeshe kwenye hati ya madai sababu za upekee wa kesi yake na Jaji akarejea baadhi ya kesi zilizobeba msimamo huo.

Kutokana na msimamo huo, Jaji alisema alipata muda wa kupitia hati ya madai ya kesi hiyo iliyofunguliwa Julai 17, 2023 na kugundua hakuna aya ambayo mdai anaelezea sababu za kupata msamaha wa kutozingatia sheria ya ukomo.

“Hata kama nitachukua wasilisho lake kuwa mdai alichelewa kufungua kesi kwa sababu alikuwa akisubiri ushahidi wa kutosha katika kesi ya jinai iliyokuwa ikiendelea kortini, kwa maoni yangu sababu haina mashiko mahakama kuikubali,” alisema.

Jaji akaongeza kusema “Msimamo wa sheria uko wazi kwamba mwathirika katika kesi ya jinai hazuiwi kufungua shauri la madai ya fidia mahakamani, kwa kuwa mahakama ya jinai sio sahihi kupima madai ya mtu anayeomba fidia”

Katika uamuzi wake huo, Jaji Mrisha alisema suala la ukomo wa muda ni jambo linalokwenda kwenye mzizi wa mamlaka ya mahakama na haiangukii katika Ibara ya 107(2)(e) ya Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ya mwaka 1977.

Jaji alisema kwa hoja alizozieleza anakubali pingamizi lililowasilishwa na wadaiwa na kukubaliana nao kuwa kesi imefunguliwa nje ya muda, hivyo inatupiliwa mbali na mdai atawajibika kulipa gharama za kesi hiyo. 

Source: mwananchi.co.tz

Original Media Source

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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Tanzania Foreign Investment News
Chief Editor

Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns

Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way

The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.

The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.

The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.

“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.

“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”

Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.

It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.

But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.

Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.

The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.

A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.

Two more to the list

The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.

The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.

Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.

Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).

Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”

In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).

“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”

Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.

Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.

“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”

Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.

For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.

The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.

Source: allafrica.com

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