As reported by Capital FM, a Tanzanian court has refused to terminate the treason case facing opposition figure Tundu Lissu, despite his legal team’s plea for dismissal.
The court ruled in favor of the State’s request for more time to complete investigations into the high-profile case.
Lissu, a vocal critic of the government and former presidential candidate under the CHADEMA party, has long maintained that the charges are politically motivated.
Tanzanian opposition leader and former presidential candidate of CHADEMA party Tundu Lissu sits inside the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania April 10, 2025. REUTERS/Emmanuel Herman/File Photo
He was arrested in 2020 following remarks that authorities claim amounted to incitement and threats to national security.
Prosecutors told the court they are still gathering crucial evidence before they can proceed to trial. They urged the court to allow more time, citing the complex nature of the allegations involving national security.
Magistrates granted the extension but issued a stern warning to the prosecution against further delays. The court emphasized that justice should not be compromised by endless investigations and that the accused has a right to a timely resolution.
Lissu’s defense team expressed disappointment, arguing that the State has had ample time to build its case. They reiterated their demand for the charges to be dropped, describing the process as a tool for political harassment.
The ruling means Lissu remains entangled in legal proceedings, even as he continues to advocate for political reforms in Tanzania.
His return from exile earlier this year reignited public debate over freedom of expression and judicial independence in the country.
Rights groups have criticized the prolonged case, calling it a violation of fair trial principles. Amnesty International and other organizations have urged Tanzanian authorities to either proceed with the trial swiftly or drop the charges altogether.
Firebrand Tanzanian politician Tundu Lissu the leader of the opposition Chadema party. (Photo: X/Mdude Nyagali)
Despite the court’s refusal to dismiss the case, it made it clear that the State must not abuse the justice system through unnecessary delays.
A new hearing date has been set, and the prosecution is expected to present substantial progress or risk sanctions.
The focus now remains on Tanzania’s judiciary to see how it balances justice, law, and politics in one of the nation’s most controversial cases.
