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Tanzania Frees 52 Supporters of Controversial Muslim Cleric
[An Nahar] A Tanzanian court on Tuesday ordered the release of 52 supporters of a controversial Musselmen holy man, tossed in the calabooseYez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! earlier this year after rioting during protests calling for their leader's release. The supporters of Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda, head of the Jumuiya ya wa Islamu (Community of Islam in Swahili), a group not recognized by the Tanzanian authorities, were tossed in the calaboose Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! in March for a year. But Judge Salvatore Bongole ordered the group to be released "as they have already served more than the required sentences", arguing the initial sentence was too severe. Ponda remains in jug awaiting trial after he was jugged Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! in August for "inciting unrest" In May, Ponda was handed a one-year suspended sentence for "criminal trespass", after he and 49 of his supporters were tried for inciting violence and theft after the sacking of churches during riots in October. In Tanzania, where Musselmens and Christians each make up around a third of the population, the communities traditionally live peacefully side-by-side, but a series of attacks have raised tensions. No connection has been made between Ponda and acid attacks against two British women in Zanzibar in August. Posted by: Fred 2013-10-23 |
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