President Samia drops deputy minister of Constitution and Legal Affairs

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has rescinded the appointment of Ms Pauline Gekul as Deputy Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs.

In a brief statement released on social media by the State House, it was announced that Ms Gekul will no longer serve in this position. 

This follows a few hours after Ms Gekul was implicated in serious allegations of human rights violations involving the facilitation of torture and mistreatment of one of her employees, Mr Hashim Philemon.

In a video clip, Mr Philemon is depicted as narrating his ordeal, which involves a series of acts of harassment and mistreatment allegedly under the facilitation of the lawmaker.

Ms Gekul's personal secretary, Hussein Abrima, told The Citizen that they have left the matter in the hands of the police, who have launched an investigation. 

However, Mr Philemon alleges the politician to have issued instructions that subjected him and another person, Michael, to severe beatings.

The directives were allegedly issued after the duo refuted claims of being behind an attempt to poison the former legislator.

The statement from the president's office did not, however, directly link the dismissal with the ongoing case.