Trial starts in gang rape case that has shocked Tanzania

 

Tanzanian police said they have launched an investigation following a viral video of an alleged gang rape. [AFP]

Four men went formally on trial Tuesday in a gang rape case that shocked Tanzania after a video of the assault went viral.

The alleged attack in the capital Dodoma in May came to light after a former local mayor posted about it on X on August 4, spurring condemnation and calls for action from rights groups.

The four men -- who were arrested August 9 --  appeared at Dodoma High Court on Monday where they were accused of gang rape and sodomising the woman.

"They have pleaded not guilty to these charges, but as the law stipulates, we will proceed with the next steps in the hearing process," Renatus Mkude, assistant director at the public prosecution office, told reporters on Monday.

While the men have been named by police, no further details about them have been released.

He said the trial will run until Friday as the case has attracted significant interest.

"We urge the public to remain calm while the legal process unfolds," Mkude said.

"As the case is now in court, we ask people to remain patient, listen carefully, and trust that justice will be done according to the law."

The identity of the victim has not been revealed, with Mkude saying she would be referred to as "XY" in the case.

Police apologised on Monday after regional commander Theopista Mallya told local media that the woman was "a sex worker", and that the acts had been committed by "ordinary drunkards".

Mallya was later transferred back to regional headquarters.

"Does the fact that someone is engaging in sex work justify being subjected to acts of violence like rape?" Tanzania's Legal and Human Rights Centre said in a statement.

Local media also reported that as many as five men were involved in the assault, but that at least two individuals remains free.

When the incident first emerged in posts on X by ex-mayor Boniface Jacob, he alleged the men were believed to be members of the Tanzanian armed forces, but this could not be verified.