The High Court's Musoma Sub-Registry in Tanzania has sentenced two men, Kurwa Vitalisi and Kelvin Christopher, to death for the murder of businesswoman Jackline Thobias. The two were found guilty of gang-raping and murdering Thobias on December 18, 2023, in the Zanzibar area of Musoma District. The judgment was delivered on October 30, 2026, by High Court Judge Edwin Kakolaki.
According to the prosecution evidence, Thobias was approached by Kurwa, who wanted to persuade her to have sex with him, but she rejected his advances. This led Kurwa to allegedly plot with Christopher and six other accomplices to attack and rape her. On the day of the incident, Thobias was returning home from her shop when she was grabbed by the neck and dragged to a secluded area by the accused and their accomplices.
The men stripped Thobias, including her underwear, and raped her one after another. After the assault, they took her handbag containing Sh80,000 and left her lying helpless on the ground. Good Samaritans who witnessed the incident alerted her relatives, who informed her father and brother. They rushed to the scene and found her unconscious before taking her to Nyasho Health Centre.
Due to the severity of her condition, Thobias was transferred to Musoma Municipal Hospital for specialized treatment, but she died at around 2 am on December 19, 2023. The incident and her death were reported to the police, who launched investigations that led to the arrest of Kurwa and Christopher. The two accused were subsequently charged with murder.
The court heard that Christopher was arrested on April 10, 2024, following intelligence received by police officers. He was found to have a confession statement that was presented in court as prosecution exhibit PE4. Kurwa was arrested on April 14, 2024, in Makoko by the sixth prosecution witness, following information provided by Christopher.
When the charges were read to them, both men denied the allegations. However, Judge Kakolaki found their confessional statements and other evidence to be sufficient to convict them of the murder charge. The judge said the law prescribed death by hanging as the punishment for anyone convicted of murder, and sentenced Kurwa and Christopher accordingly.
The prosecution was led by State Attorneys Nico Malekela, Happiness Machage, and Jonas Kivuyo, while the defense was conducted by private Advocates Godwill Mweya and Evans Njau. The case highlights the severity of crimes against women in Tanzania and the efforts of the justice system to hold perpetrators accountable.
Key points
- Two men sentenced to death for raping and murdering a businesswoman in Musoma District, Tanzania.
- The accused, Kurwa Vitalisi and Kelvin Christopher, were found guilty of gang-raping and murdering Jackline Thobias on December 18, 2023.
- The judgment was delivered on October 30, 2026, by High Court Judge Edwin Kakolaki.
