Four Tanzanian men sentenced to life in prison for gang rape in viral video

A Tanzanian court has sentenced four men to life in prison for a gang rape that shocked the nation after a video of the attack went viral on social media, prosecutors confirmed on Monday.

The Dodoma court also ordered the men to pay one million Tanzanian shillings (around £300) to the victim, known only as “XY”. The attack, which occurred in May, gained public attention in August after Boniface Jacob, a former mayor of Ubungo, posted about it on X (formerly Twitter), sparking outrage from human rights groups.

The four men, who were arrested five days after the post went viral, pleaded not guilty but were convicted after a closed trial to protect the victim. “The case was closed today and the four received life sentences,” said Renatus Mkude, deputy director of public prosecutions.

Defense lawyer Godfrey Wasonga signaled his willingness to appeal and pointed out legal flaws in the indictment that the court allegedly overlooked.

The gang rape incident sparked nationwide outrage, particularly after Dodoma regional commander Theopista Mallya described the victim as a “sex worker” and described the perpetrators as “common drunks”, leading to an apology from the police. The Tanzania Law and Human Rights Center condemned the comments, saying: “Does the fact that someone engages in sex work justify them becoming a victim of violent acts such as rape?”