Tanzania's new anti-drugs chief orders review of past cases

Tanzania's newly appointed Commissioner General for the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority on Monday ordered review of all files of past cases involving drug trafficking.

Rogers William Sianga said some of the cases were decided in favor of the drug traffickers despite of evidence tendered in courts.

He said judges and magistrates who would be found to have favored the drug dealers will face the music.

"We have learned that some judges and magistrates dropped drug trafficking cases even where evidence were tendered in the courts," he said shortly after he was given a new list of 97 drug dealers by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda.

"Any judge or magistrate who would be found to have colluded with the drug traffickers would be impeached," Sianga told a news conference at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Sianga said the tempo in the fight against drug trafficking will be sustained, adding: "No stone will be left unturned in the search for drugs users and traffickers."

He thanked President John Magufuli for showing political will on the war on drugs.

Sianga said the war on drugs will be fought across the country, the second largest economy in the east African region.

"Our aim is to stop Tanzania being used as a drugs transit country," said Sianga.

Presenting the new list, Makonda said it contained names of big drugs dealers, including children of prominent leaders, politicians and business tycoons from the past administrations of Presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete.

Last week, Makonda released a list of 65 suspected drug traffickers that included politicians, religious leaders and business tycoons.

Makonda said some of the suspects owned five star hotels, shopping malls, and were former and current Members of Parliament.

Last week, Magufuli ordered defence and security forces to step up war on drugs with full force.

"We should fight drug trafficking with full force without fear or favor," said Magufuli.

He praised leaders across the country who have started fighting drug trafficking by naming suspected dealers in the illicit business.

"Fighting drug trafficking is a mammoth undertaking that calls for political will and honesty. Let us join forces to end this social cancer," he said.

The head of state said statistics showed that 1,007 Tanzanians have been prosecuted for drug trafficking in different countries across the world and they were now serving prison terms. Endit