The High Court of Tanzania has summoned the Inspector General of Police to appear before its Arusha Registry on March 30.
The IGP happens to be among the list of respondent officials tied in the the Enforced disappearance of Mzee Orias Ole Ng’iyo, an old man and resident of Loliondo.
Ole Ng’iyo is an 85-year-old resident of Engong’u Nairowa area in the Oloolosokwan Ward of Loliondo Division in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region.
He reportedly went missing more than nine months ago, during police operations in the former Game Controlled Area, on 10 June 2022.
Mzee Oriaisi Pasilange Ng’iyo, according to Advocate Joseph Ole Shangay who is representing the missing person’s family, was allegedly shot during chaos that ensued in the exercise to plant beacons demarcating the 1500 square kilometers of land which later became the Pololeti Game Reserve.
Villagers claim they were dispersed by the police as they were trying to carry the badly wounded old man. Some claim to have even seen the cops picking up the old man.
From that time however, Mzee Ole Ng’iyo was never to be seen again. Fellow villagers thought he was arrested by the police alongside other residents.
A total of 19 villagers were arrested following the chaos in Loliondo, these were later acquitted after their charges got dropped by the United Republic of Tanzania.
But as fellow Oloolosokwan residents walked free, Mzee Orias Ole Ng’iyo was not among them.
Concerned Members of Ole Ng’iyo family sought legal assistance. His name was among the suspects in the police list of arrested persons of Ngorongoro.
But as fellow Oloolosokwan residents walked free, Mzee Orias Ole Ng’iyo was not among them.
Concerned Members of Ole Ng’iyo family sought legal assistance.
His name was among the suspects in the police list of arrested persons of Ngorongoro.
Lawyers have filed the Miscellaneous Criminal Application No. 68 of 2022 on Enforced disappearance, before the Tanzania High Court, requesting the top judiciary entity to task security organs in Arusha to reveal the whereabouts of the old man who is still missing.
The case was initially scheduled for hearing before the judge of the High Court, Justice Mohammed Gwae, on March 22, 2023 but the respondents did not show up and had to be postponed to March 30.
Charles Odero, the Director of the Human Rights’ Group, Civic and Legal Aid Organization (CILAO), says one life is as important as the entire nation; “Because a nation is made up of various persons and each of them count.”
Lawyers want the court to order the release of the old man from wherever he is being kept.
They also demand the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Arusha Regional Commissioner, the Regional Police Commander, the Police Officer in Charge of Ngorongoro District (OCD) as well as the Ngorongoro District Commissioner to appear before the court and tell the public where Mzee Ole Ng’iyo is.
These are said to have been in-charge during the demarcation exercise in Loliondo and should bear the responsibility.
In addition to the summons, the court has directed that the son of the missing person, who testifies to have seen the police picking up his father, should also present himself on March 30 during the case.
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