Hawa Ally, 60, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Mtwara District Magistrate Court on March 27, 2026, after it found her guilty of possessing 90 g of cannabis.[1] The charge related to cannabis found on August 28, 2025, in the Bomba la Bure area of Magomeni Ward, Mtwara.[1]
Evidence and defence
A prosecution witness said police received information about cannabis sales the day before the search, then went to Ally’s home around midnight with a local official.[1] The witness said officers found a package in a green bag behind the house, and a government chemist later confirmed it contained 90 g of cannabis.[1] The prosecution called six witnesses and submitted seven exhibits.[1]
Ally denied the charge and said she had been framed; she told the court the package was found outside her home and that she had been pressured into signing documents and a confession.[1] The court ruled that the prosecution proved the case and ordered the cannabis destroyed under police and court supervision.[1] Ally asked for leniency, citing her health and her responsibility for her blind mother and grandmother.[1]
