The President of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Boniface Mwabukusi, has revealed that Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer and journalist Agatha Atuhaire have not yet been deported, as he had stated earlier on May 20.
In a new statement released on Wednesday, May 21, Mwabukusi explained that the two are no longer in police custody but are currently being held by the Immigration Department of the United Republic of Tanzania.
“It has now come to our attention that, contrary to initial information, the two individuals have not yet been deported. We have since established that they are no longer in police custody but remain held by the Immigration Department of the United Republic of Tanzania,” the statement reads.
His statement came after a Kenyan human rights group demanded the release of activist Boniface Mwangi, who has been missing for some days.
Through its CEO, Hussein Khalid, VOCAL Africa raised concern over the whereabouts of Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer and journalist Agatha Atuhaire, who are said to have been apprehended by Tanzanian authorities.
Mwabukusi urged immigration authorities to respect the law and ensure that all actions are carried out fairly and within the constitution.
“We respectfully urge the Immigration authorities to ensure that all actions taken comply fully with the Constitution, statutory requirements, and principles of natural justice."
"Due process must be strictly observed in line with both domestic law and applicable regional obligations,” he said.
Mwabukusi assured the public that the legal team is working on the case and is following up closely. He also apologised for the inconvenience he caused with his earlier miscommunication.
“Our legal team on the ground is actively monitoring the situation and exploring appropriate legal remedies to facilitate a just and timely resolution. We regret any earlier miscommunication and apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the statement reads.
This comes a day after Mwabukusi had earlier announced that the two had been deported from Tanzania, an update that has now been corrected.
Mwangi, who arrived in Tanzania on Sunday to attend the opposition leader Tundu Lissu's trial the following day, was apprehended on Monday, May 19, in his hotel after Tanzanian authorities claimed that he had obtained entry into the country irregularly.
