Tanzania, July 18 -- Arusha. Komanya Makoye, who was challenging a 30-year prison sentence for rape on the grounds that the Musoma District Court denied him a Sukuma language interpreter because he did not understand Swahili, has lost his appeal.

High Court Judge Kamazima Kafanabo found that the trial records clearly showed the appellant responded to all charges in Swahili without indicating any difficulty in following the proceedings.

The court observed that Makoye questioned witnesses in Swahili, mounted his defence and answered all questions without any sign that he failed to understand what was happening in court.

High Court Judge Kamazima Kafanabo also rejected Makoye's assertion that the case stemmed from a debt dispute of Sh2 mi...