Chairman of the opposition party CHADEMA, Tundu Lissu, continued his treason trial at the High Court of Tanzania this week, where Lissu is defending himself and has continually discredited the prosecution’s case with a cutting cross-examination, which caused sections of the court to burst into laughter.
On Monday, 16 February, Lissu took two of the prosecution witnesses through intense cross-examination where their evidence given in court contradicted their earlier evidence in the police statements. At one stage, a witness did not deny, after repeated questioning, whether merely attending party offices was criminal, resulting in the courtroom packed with observers erupting with laughter. Lissu has pressed two witnesses on basic facts: “Do CHADEMA followers have marks on their faces?” and “Do you have a card?”
At this stage, the defense has brought in many exhibits (mainly police statements), using them against the reliability of the prosecution witnesses, while according to court documents, no exhibits from the prosecution are as yet accepted in evidence.
Also, on Thursday, the court denied the prosecution the right to censor press coverage of the trial, saying that “the transparent nature of proceedings must be protected”. Lissu stated the move would “create a shroud of darkness” over the trial, a suggestion which was not accepted by the 3 judges of the court.
The trial continues today, Friday, 20 February 2006, with Lissu dismantling the prosecution witnesses’ testimonies in a spectacular public show, having drawn the eye of the country as well as foreign bodies and countries.