Justice of Appeal, who is also the Dean of the Court of Appeal, Augustine Mwarija, has urged judicial officers and other criminal justice stakeholders to have enhanced training on cybercrime laws so as to effectively address the growing threat.

Justice Mwarija made these remarks while opening training on cybercrime and electronic evidence for 60 criminal justice stakeholders on October 2, 2024, at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Dar es Salaam, on behalf of the Chief Justice of Tanzania, Prof. Ibrahim Hamis Juma.

The three-day training, organized by the Institute of Judicial Administration Lushoto (IJA) in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and funded by the UK’s International Development Fund, brought together justices from the High Courts of Tanzania and Zanzibar, deputy registrars, magistrates, prosecutors, and investigators.

"Judges today must be equipped to navigate the complex landscape of digital crimes and the accompanying technical evidence. A strong understanding of both substantive and procedural cybercrime law is crucial for making informed decisions on the admissibility and relevance of electronic evidence," said Justice Mwarija.

He added that investigators have to understand well how to collect digital evidence while urging prosecutors to have a firm grasp of cybercrime laws and the ability to present well digital evidence in court for sound judgment.

Speaking about the purpose of the training, the IJA Principal who is also a Court of Appeal Justice, Dr. Paul F. Kihwelo, highlighted that it brought together participants to have shared understanding that will help effectively address cybercrime and electronic evidence.

"We have brought in investigators because when a crime unfolds, the first person to work on it is the investigator. Once they finish, the file goes to the prosecutor, and eventually, it is presented in court. So, we bring all of them to ensure they have a shared understanding," said Dr. Kihwelo.

The Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission in Tanzania. Sally Hedley emphasized: " Our own experience in the UK shows that the threats posed by cybercrime continues to evolve and presents new security challenges - which is why the training conducted here for three days is so relevant and important.”

Dr. Elizabeth Macharia, the Head of the Rule of Law Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat emphasized the international collaboration in the fight against digital crime.

 “The global cost of cybercrime is projected to surge to $23.84 trillion by 2027, up from $8.44 trillion in 2022. Africa loses $4 billion annually to cybercrime, which is at least 10% of its gross domestic product (GDP). Hence, it is imperative to utilise effective international cooperation to curb this situation,” advised Dr. Macharia.

Some of the training participants, including Senior State Attorney Ellen Masululi and Senior Resident Magistrate Honorius Kando, stated that the training is a good platform for them to learn and gain experience from other countries, as one of the facilitators is from the UK.