FORMER Deputy Finance Minister Adam Malima and his driver Ramadhani Kigwande were yesterday arraigned at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates Court in Dar es Salaam charged with assaulting and obstructing a police officer from carrying out his duties.

Malima who was also the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mkuranga Constituency and his co-accused pleaded not guilty before Kisutu Principal Resident Magistrate, Respicius Mwijage. They were granted bail on the condition of availing one surety who will sign a bond of 5m/-.

The accused are out on bail. State Attorney Mwanaamina Kombakono informed the court that investigations were still in progress and requested for another mention date. Reading out the charges, the prosecutor alleged that on May 15, 2017 at Masaki area, Kinondoni District in the City, with intent to resist apprehension, Kigwande assaulted Mwita Joseph, an Operation Officer of Priscane Business Enterprises.

It was alleged that Joseph was apprehending the said accused for wrongful parking; he was then driving a vehicle with Registration No T587 DDL, thereby causing bodily harm to the said officer.

According to the Prosecutor, on the same occasion and area, wilfully, Malima obstructed a police officer, namely, H 7818 PC Abdu from executing his lawful duties, to wit, apprehending Kigwande for allegedly assaulting Joseph.

The case will come for another mention on June 16, this year. Meanwhile, police in Dar es Salaam Special Zone have said law enforcers were right to fire on the air when confronted by the former Deputy Minister for Finance, Adam Malima on Monday this week.

Clarifying the matter to journalists in the city yesterday, the Dar es Salaam special zone police Commander, Simon Sirro, said the situation at the scene forced the officers to do so in order to calm the situation and restoring peace in the area because a number of people had already started flocking the place thus causing more havoc.

According to him, the driver of the former deputy finance minister in the government of fourth phase administration had parked the car in the wrong location, and insulted the officer of Priscane Business Enterprises who asked him to remove the vehicle.