Church-burning in Dar comes to trial

A court in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania is going to the site of last year's church burning.

Key quote:

"The pastor's office of the ELCT-Mbagala parish was extensively damaged," Senior State Attorney, Tumaini Kweka told the Principal Resident Magistrate, Waliarwande Lema, as he was leading her to the office at the scene of the crime situated at Mbagala Zakhem.

Earlier, the prosecution read memorandum of facts of the case against 10 people linked with the violence, before asking the court to shift to the church area as was part of exhibits that would be tendered in course of the hearing

The church burning was allegedly started by reports that someone desecrated the Quaran:

The accused in the case are Hamad Sekondo, Shego Musa, Mashaka Iman, Hamza Mohamed, Mikidadi Sadik, Juma Mbegu, Issa Abdallah, Hamis Kimwaga, Ramadhan Mbulu and Mohamed Yusuph. Violence that led to the case were allegedly fuelled by two young boys aged below 18 years that were playing and exchanging ideas about religious issues.

It was reported that one of the youths urinated on a Holy book of Muslim (Quran). The matter was reported to the elders and then at Mbagala Police Station for further action.

While legal actions were in progress, a group of people believed to be bandits under the pretext of Muslim devotees, invaded various public and private institutions, including the church, Mbagala parish. Such group at the time was armed with iron bars and blocks, destroyed the fence around the church and entered into the building which was used as a place of worship.