The High Court of Tanzania, Sub-Registry of Dar es Salaam, has upheld one of the objections filed by Chadema national chairman Tundu Lissu regarding the use of a witness shield for prosecution witnesses in his treason trial, ruling it should not be used in its current form.

Mr Lissu had challenged the fourth prosecution witness in the case, one of 11 witnesses granted court protection to testify unseen, arguing that the shield breached Rule Three of the Witness Protection Rules because it prevented the court from observing the witness.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, presiding Judge Dunstan Ndunguru of the three-member bench agreed with Mr Lissu, stating that the shield did not comply with the rule as it obscured the witness from view.

The court directed that the shield be modified so the witness can be seen and adjourned the case until tomorrow (Thursday, February 12, 2026), to allow the necessary adjustments.

Apart from this decision, the court rejected four other objections raised by Mr Lissu, including challenges to the legitimacy of the prosecution’s secret witnesses.