Four in Tanzania gang rape video jailed for life

A Tanzanian court sentenced four men to life in prison Monday for a gang rape that shocked the country after a video of the assault went viral on social media, prosecutors said.

The court in the capital, Dodoma, also ordered each of the accused to pay the victim one million Tanzanian shillings (about $365).

The attack, which happened in May, came to light when a former local mayor posted about it on X on August 4, triggering condemnation by rights groups.

The four men were arrested five days later. They had pleaded not guilty.

The trial, which opened on August 20, was held behind closed doors to protect the victim, who was identified only as “XY”.

“The case concluded today, and the four received life sentence,” said Renatus Mkude, assistant director at the public prosecution office.

Defence attorney Godfrey Wasonga said he was prepared to appeal if the defendants requested.

“There are several legal deficiencies in the charge sheet, which the court did not consider,” he said.

The assault gained prominence after Boniface Jacob, a former mayor of Ubungo, a district of Tanzania’s largest city Dar es Salaam, posted about the case on X tagging President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the national police force.

He said the assailants were believed to be members of the Tanzanian armed forces, but this could not be verified.

The assault caused outrage in the East African country and drew scrutiny of officials’ reactions.

The police apologised after Dodoma regional commander Theopista Mallya called the woman “a sex worker” and said the acts had been committed by “ordinary drunkards”.

“Does the fact that someone is engaging in sex work justify being subjected to acts of violence like rape?” Tanzania’s Legal and Human Rights Centre fired back.