A court in Tanzania’s capital, Dodoma, has sentenced four men to life imprisonment for the gang rape and sodomy of a girl under 18, a case that has sparked outrage across the country.
Among those convicted are Clinton Damas, a soldier with the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, and Praygod Mushi, a prison officer.
The other two men, Nickson Jackson and Amin Lema, were also sentenced to life.
In addition to their prison sentences, the four men have each been ordered to pay 1 million shillings ($370; £275) to the victim.
A fifth suspect, a senior policewoman accused of orchestrating the assault, is set to be tried separately in October.
The case has sent shockwaves through Tanzania, a traditionally conservative society.
Outside the Dodoma Resident Magistrate’s Court, the defense lawyer, Godfrey Wasonga, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, claiming legal violations during the trial.
However, activists and human rights defenders have lauded the court’s decision on social media.
The crime gained widespread attention after a video of the attack surfaced online in August, leading authorities to urge the public not to share the footage to protect the victim and her family from further harm.
Tanzania has been grappling with rising gender-based violence, with many cases going unreported, according to local media.
Last month, the Legal and Human Rights Centre warned that ignoring such issues would only contribute to their escalation.
Recently, police commander Theopista Mallya was removed from her post after making controversial comments that appeared to blame the victim, linking her to sex work.
