The Moshi Resident Magistrate’s Court in Kilimanjaro has sentenced three people, two Kenyans and one Tanzanian to 67 years jail term for stealing 239m/- from NMB Bank, Mwanga Branch in Kilimanjaro Region.
The sentence was handed over to the three accused after the court found them guilty beyond reasonable doubt of plotting a 239m/- heist.
The crime was committed on July 11, 2007 when the three accused were charged with stealing a sub-machine gun (SMG), property of the police force, after killing Michael Milanzi who was on duty on the fateful day.
A panel of three magistrates led by Panterine Kente mentioned the three accused as Samwel Gitau popularly known as Saitoti and Michael Joseph Kimani who are Kenya nationals.
The other accused is Elisabeth Elias, popularly known as Bella, a resident of Kwa Ngulelo in Arusha region.
In the ruling, the accused were sentenced to seven years in the first count which was mentioned as plotting and 30 years for robbery and another 30 years for robbery with violence.
The magistrate said that the sentence will run concurrently, therefore the accused will serve a total of 67 years behind bars, after setting free other suspects namely Devotha Elias Masenza, Ntibasana Elias Masenza and Calist Kanje when the court found them innocent on all three counts.
Before pronouncing the sentence, state attorney Tamali Mndeme begged the court to issue a harsh sentence to the accused so that it could serve as a lesson to others.
By Tamimimu Adam, Tanzania Daily News
