"Court Sentences Hamis Luwongo to Death for Wife's Murder"

Court Sentences Hamis Luwongo to Death by Hanging for Wife's Murder

Dar es Salaam, February 26, 2025

In a landmark ruling today, the High Court of Dar es Salaam sentenced businessman Hamis Luwongo to death by hanging after he was found guilty of murdering his wife, Naomi Marijani.

The decision was handed down by Justice Hamidu Mwanga, who expressed satisfaction with the evidence presented during the trial, which included testimony from 14 witnesses and 10 exhibits.

Prior to sentencing, the prosecution, led by Chief Government Lawyer Yasinta Peter and Senior Government Lawyer Ashura Mnzava, urged the court to impose a severe penalty on the defendant. They argued that a harsh sentence would serve as a deterrent to other men who commit violence against their wives under the guise of marriage.

"The crime committed by the defendant is brutal and casts doubt on the safety of women within marriage," said Mnzava. "We request the court to impose a strict punishment to send a message to men who use marriage as an excuse to harm their wives."

Luwongo, a resident of Gezaulole in the Kigamboni District, was charged with the murder of his wife, Naomi Orest Marijani, under sections 196 and 197 of the Penal Code as amended in 2019.

The prosecution contended that on May 15, 2019, Luwongo killed his wife at their home and then disposed of her body by setting it on fire using two bags of charcoal inside a chicken coop. The remains were later buried on a farm where banana plants were grown over the grave.

The prosecution concluded presenting their evidence on November 18, 2024, after calling 14 witnesses and submitting nine exhibits. The defense closed its case the following day, presenting only one witness—the defendant himself—and no exhibits.

In his defense, Luwongo denied killing his wife, claiming that she was not dead but had run away. He asserted that the information he provided to the police about her death and the burning of her body was false, and he fabricated these details to escape torture by the police, who had pressured him to reveal the whereabouts of his wife’s body.

He further argued that the bones he showed the police on his farm were not his wife’s but those of an animal carcass he found while clearing his farm, adding that some bones came from a grave that had been relocated from another property he owned in Mwongozo, Kigamboni.

Luwongo claimed that the bones were mixed with other refuse and burned, which is why forensic analysis by the Government Chemist did not confirm the remains were those of Naomi.

After the defense concluded its case, the prosecution requested that the court summon Dr. Sadiki Mandari, a specialist from the Mirembe National Psychiatric Hospital, to conduct an assessment of Luwongo’s mental state.

Dr. Mandari, who had earlier conducted an assessment of the defendant’s mental health as ordered by the court, submitted a report indicating that at the time of the alleged murder, Luwongo was mentally unstable.

However, the prosecution called for Dr. Mandari to be questioned about his findings. When questioned in court, Dr. Mandari denied his previous report, presenting a new one stating that Luwongo was mentally sound at the time of the crime.

Justice Mwanga expressed frustration over the conflicting reports, questioning how a professional could submit two different assessments in such a crucial case. He criticized Dr. Mandari for undermining his credibility and the reputation of his institution.

Dr. Mandari defended his actions, revealing that one of Luwongo’s relatives had asked him to support the alternative report in court, but he denied informing them of the change in his findings.