Canada withdraws diplomat from Tanzania after government says he spat on policeman

Tanzania: Canada removes diplomat who spat on cop

ARUSHA, Tanzania — Canadian officials say they have withdrawn a diplomat from Tanzania after the government said he spat on a police officer.

Canadian High Commissioner Robert Orr said in a statement late Sunday that the Canadian government will return the official because of the Dec. 9 incident.

Tanzania’s foreign ministry identified him as Jean Touchatte, a private secretary at the Canadian High Commission.

The Tanzanian government said Touchatte spat at a policeman during a traffic jam in Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial capital.

He was taken for questioning to a police station but released because of his diplomatic immunity. Media outlets said he also spat on a journalist who had tried to interview him at the police station.