A Tanzanian court has sentenced four men to life imprisonment for a gang rape that shocked the nation after a video of the assault went viral on social media, prosecutors confirmed on Monday.
The Dodoma court also ordered the men to pay one million Tanzanian shillings (approximately £300) to the victim, known only as “XY”. The attack, which occurred in May, gained public attention in August after Boniface Jacob, a former mayor of Ubungo, posted about it on X (formerly Twitter), prompting outrage from rights groups.
The four men, arrested five days after the post went viral, pleaded not guilty but were convicted after a closed trial to protect the victim. “The case concluded today and the four received life sentence,” said Renatus Mkude, assistant director at the public prosecution office.
Defence attorney Godfrey Wasonga signaled readiness to appeal, citing legal deficiencies in the charge sheet that the court allegedly overlooked.
The gang rape incident sparked national outrage, especially after Dodoma regional commander Theopista Mallya referred to the victim as “a sex worker” and described the perpetrators as “ordinary drunkards,” leading to an apology from the police. Tanzania’s Legal and Human Rights Centre condemned the remarks, stating, “Does the fact that someone is engaging in sex work justify being subjected to acts of violence like rape?”
