Tanzania, Aug. 14 -- Sumbawanga. Three Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) nationals who had spent 243 days in prison have been freed after the High Court in Sumbawanga quashed their convictions, citing serious inconsistencies over the location where the alleged offences were committed.

Justice Thadeo Mwenempazi delivered the judgment on August 12, 2026, ruling that the contradictions in the charge sheet raised fundamental questions about the geographical jurisdiction of the Nkasi District Court.

The three men, Godson Chilambe, Kalunga Kandulwe and Francois Katuta, were arrested on December 4, 2025, at Kalubamba village in Rukwa Region and charged with fishing in Tanzania without valid licences, unlawful presence in the country and, in C...