ABOUT 222 cases involving suspects allegedly linked to killings of
elderly people are pending in various courts in the country, the Deputy
Minister for Home Affairs, Engineer Hamad Masauni, told the National
Assembly here yesterday.
The deputy minister disclosed further
that for the period between July, last year and March, this year, a
total of 135 suspects were arrested by police in connection with the
killings.
He was responding to a supplementary
question by Ms Faida Bakari (Special Seats-CCM), who sought to know
punitive measures that were taken by the police to contain the crimes.
Eng. Masauni explained that the police force was committed to ensure
those involved in the crimes would be booked and taken to task.
In the basic question, Ms Tauhida
Galloss (Special Seats) had wanted to know measures that were being
taken to protect the elderly persons in the country. The deputy
responded that the government through the police force has put in place
several measures to contain the killings of the elderly persons.
Among the measures, according to him,
include conducting operations and searches to identify traditional
healers involved in the crimes by providing exasperate information and
those who do not follow legal procedures.
The deputy minister further said that
the police were providing education to different peace and security
stakeholders, religious and private institutions with a view of
educating people on the negative effects of talking law in their own
hands.
Furthermore, he said, there was
establishment of task force to follow up and obtain different
information on the suspects involved in the crimes before and after the
incident.
The deputy minister, therefore, called
upon the people to refrain from taking the law into their hands, which
was likely to cause killings of innocent persons, considering the fact
that the country observed rule of law.
