Stone Town (Tanzania): Tanzanian authorities
have charged four men with negligence over a ferry sinking
that cost more than 240 lives a week ago.
It`s unclear how many passengers were aboard, but more
than 800 people survived by clinging onto pieces of wood or
crowding onto lifeboats.
"It is a relief to us to hear that a handful of people
were charged, but we believe the real culprits remain
untouched," said survivor Suleiman Malik.
"We wish to see some big fish fished out and face the
long arms of the law."
The ferry owner Yusuf Suleiman Jussa, 47, first officer
Abdallah Mohamed Ali, 30, and Zanzibar Ports Authority
employee Silima Nyange Silima, 27, all were charged with
contravening the Maritime Act by allowing the heavily
overloaded M.V. Spice Islander to leave port.
Captain Said Abdullah Kinyanyite, who remains missing,
was charged in absentia.
Ramadhan Nassib from the Directorate of Public
Prosecution said the four were responsible for the deaths
after the ferry sank at night in an area of deep seas and
strong currents.
The suspects were not allowed to enter a plea after the
charges were read out to a packed courtroom late on Friday.
PTI
