Case Of Enforced Disappearance Of An Old Man In Loliondo Postponed To May 10 This Year
The Miscellaneous Criminal Application No.67 of 2022,Enforcement disappearance of Mzee Oriais Palanget Oleng’iyo(85) of Lolosokwan Ward, Loliondo Division, Ngorongoro District in Arusha Region, now come up on May 10, 2023.
The case was read on March 30 before the High Court of Tanzania,Arusha Registry by Judge Mohammed Gwae.
Before, the case was scheduled for hearing on March 22, 2023 but the respondents didn’t show up and it had to be postponed on March 30.
Mzee(old man) Orias Oleng’iyo was reportedly shot and wounded and enforced to disappear, June 10, 2022 during the Loliondo conflict the residents opposing the erection of beacons to demarcate the 1502 square kilometres of land to be taken by the Polelet Game Reserve.
Since then the old man has not been seen.
Family and relatives filed a habeas corpus in the High Court of Tanzania to know the whereabouts of a missing old man and asked it to exercise its Constitutional powers ordering the respondents to release and bring him to court.
The High Court of Tanzania summoned the Inspector General of Police(IGP), to appear before its Arusha Registry on March 30 alongside his subordinates, while also directed the son of Oriais Oleng’iyo who testifies to have seen his father picked by police,to be himself present.
Other respondents in the case included Attorney General, Arusha Regional Commissioner,Arusha Regional Police Commander, Police Officer incharge of Ngorongoro District and Ngorongoro District Commissioner.
The respondents are represented by Attorney Peter Mseti who denied the charges by saying there is no evidence that police either shot or put in custody the old man.
Advocate Joseph Ole Shangay,one of the lawyers representing the family of a missing family said they had strong evidence of what happened as the son of Mzee Oria Pasilange Oleng’iyo,recorded everything during the chaos,noted the police truck plate numbers,and villagers claim they were dispersed by police,while trying to force the wounded man onto their track.
The lawyers apply for the court to order with urgency,respondents bring back Mzee Oriais Pasilange Oleng’iyo whether dead or alive,but the government says it has nothing to do with him.
