- Singer Nguza Viking and son Johnson Nguza were jailed in 2003 for the attacks
- Tanzania president John Magufuli pardoned them during speech on Saturday
- A childrens’ charity boss in the area says she is ‘horrified’ by the announcement
Tanzania’s president has pardoned a father and son who raped 10 primary schoolgirls, it has emerged.
John Magufuli sparked anger among children’s rights activists after announcing the decision in his independence day speech on Saturday.
Singer Nguza Viking, also known as Babu Seya, and his son Johnson Nguza, known as Papii Kocha, were sentenced to life in prison for raping 10 girls in 2003 aged between six and eight.
Tanzania’s president John Magufuli (pictured) has pardoned a father and son who raped 10 primary schoolgirls, it has emerged
They were primary school pupils in the Tanzanian city Dar es Salaam, the BBC reports.
But during his speech, Magufuli pardoned both men and they were released the same day after 13 years in jail.
According to local media, crowds cheered the men as they were released from prison.
John Magufuli (centre) sparked anger among children’s rights activists after announcing the decision in his independence day speech on Saturday
The decision has left one children’s charity in eastern Tanzania ‘horrified’.
Director of the Arusha-based Community for Children Rights, Kate McAlpine, told the BBC that the move showed Magufuli had a ‘lack of understanding about violence against children’.
She added that it was ‘extremely rare for child rape cases to get to court in Tanzania’.