Sam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
Tanzania's magistrate court jailed a 26- year old man Ibrahim Said one year after he pleaded guilty to have attacked the country's former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi. He was attacked last week when he was addressing members in the capital Dares Salaam during commemoration of Muhammad's birthday.
The 26- year old man came off the crowd and slapped Mwinyi on his left cheek before security came and whisked the attacker away.
According to media reports in the southern African country, Kisutu Resident Magistrate Neema Chausi presided over the ruling.
Said is said to have pleaded guilty on Thursday before prosecutors presented the facts of the case before the sentence was pronounced.
The Resident Magistrate was quoted as saying that the sentence had no fine option but had decided to impose a lenient punishment as the suspect was the first time offender and did not waste the court's time.
"The law is clear on this, I am sentencing him to one year imprisonment to serve as a lesson to him and others with the same habits," said Chausi.
During mitigation the attacker is said to have first prayed in Arabic to the astonishment of the magistrate and the audience.
However Chausi asked said to use Kiswahili the country’s main language as the court did not understand Arabic but the attacker insisted on until he finished his prayers.
A Lusakatimes.com report said the 26 year old man later addressed the court in which he said he was ready for any punishment but was quick to point out that he was a weak person.
"I am ready for any punishment that the court sees fit in relation to the offence I have committed. If the court decides to reduce the punishment, it is okay to me because I am a weak person," he said.
Said attacked the former president who represented President Jakaya Kikwete who was away to another meeting as he was talking to the gathering on moral issues.
The former president appeared calm after the attack, and said he had forgiven his assailant.
But reports in the country said some human rights lawyers felt the ruling was rushed adding that the court had to satisfy itself on the accused's mental health before jailing him.
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