The United States has slapped sanctions on a top Tanzanian police official over shocking allegations of torture and sexual assault involving two prominent East African activists — a move that is piling even more pressure on Tanzania over its human rights record.

According to reports monitored by cbinews.tv, the US government has sanctioned senior Tanzanian police officer Faustine Jackson Mafwele over allegations linked to the torture and sexual assault of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington acted on what it described as “credible information” that Mafwele was involved in serious human rights abuses. The sanctions now bar him from entering the United States.

The case dates back to last May when Mwangi and Atuhaire travelled to Tanzania to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. The pair were reportedly detained before later being released.

Mwangi later revealed horrifying details of his detention, alleging he was stripped naked, hung upside down, beaten on the soles of his feet and sexually assaulted. Atuhaire also accused officials of raping her while in custody.

At the time, Tanzanian police dismissed the allegations as hearsay and opinion. However, the US State Department now says members of the Tanzanian Police Force detained, tortured and sexually assaulted the activists.

Interestingly, the US statement did not spell out Mafwele’s exact role in the alleged abuse, but Washington insists the sanctions are aimed at promoting accountability.

The allegations gained even more attention after a BBC Africa Eye documentary titled Tanzania’s State of Fear featured testimonies from survivors, including Mwangi and Atuhaire, who both named Mafwele as a key figure in the abuse claims.

This marks the first time a senior official under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration has faced foreign sanctions.

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly raised concerns about shrinking political freedoms in Tanzania, accusing authorities of targeting opposition voices, activists and critics.

The sanctions also come against the backdrop of growing international criticism over Tanzania’s disputed general election last October, which was followed by deadly protests that reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.

President Samia, who became Tanzania’s first female president in 2021 after the death of John Magufuli, was initially praised for opening up democratic space. But critics now say political repression is making a comeback under her leadership.

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