Police fails to nab the prime suspects in emails scam
By Rodgers Luhwago
24th October 2010
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Nearly one week since this paper revealed the kingpin behind the hateful campaign text messages, the Tanzania Police Force is still lagging behind, with no any breakthrough in nabbing the prime suspects, The Guardian on Sunday has learnt.
The failure to apprehend the suspects behind these text messages cast doubts on whether the Force has well equipped Information Technology investigators who can unearth how the dirty campaign was planned and executed.
Speaking to the Guardian on Sunday this week, the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Robert Manumba said investigation was still going.
Asked to tell whether police have made any arrests in connection with the circulation of the hateful messages via mobile phones DCI Manumba simply replied: "What I can tell you is that we are still conducting an investigation"
However, DCI Manumba could not give any further explanations on the matter apart from maintaining that he was occupied with a meeting before he hung off.
Efforts to reach Tanzania Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Director of Communication Innocent Mungi proved failure as both his mobile phone numbers were either out of reach or were switched off.
The story which last week sparked a wide debate online, with many of the contributors calling for the immediate arrest of the kingpin behind the move, named one Rashird Shamte as one of those who received and circulated the hateful messages.
During our investigation, The Guardian on Sunday established that the text messages were sent either through general packet radio service (GPRS), which is a technology used for transmitting data over the mobile network.
Though after the publication of the story, the suspects, hurried to delete all emails linked to the hateful text message, since the sender used GPRS, the easily identified by tracing the source of Internet Provider (IP) address.
Likewise a mobile device used to transmit or send these messages can also be identified through its phone number or IMEI (international mobile equipment identity)
The Guardian on Sunday has established all emails addresses, IP addresses as well as the individuals involved.
The Guardian on Sunday has also established that the alleged Finland registered number was used just as a cover-up, aimed mainly at hiding any traceability of the real culprit.
The hateful text messages widely circulated throughout the country from mobile numbers registered in Finland were part of an election smear campaign carried out by a local IT specialist currently operating on the fifth floor of Barclays House.
Two weeks ago, Shamte received edited versions of the ten hateful messages plus the 'ten commandments' at his email address
rashid.shamte@6telecoms.co.tz. In one of the email seen by this newspaper, the author says, "Brother, we have finished your assignment with my boy who seemed to be good in doing this job…I will call you shortly so that we see how to empower him financially."
"As you may be aware this is a tough job that needs time and creativity" reads another one of the emails sent to
rashid.shamte@6telecoms.com on October 10, this year.
But, not all messages designed, authored and sent to Shamte's emails were hateful or incriminating. Majority of these emails were just strategies aimed at responding to various policy issues raised by Dr Slaa and Professor Lipumba.
The hateful text messages have predominately targeted Chadema presidential candidate Dr. Willibrod Slaa but have also been directed at Professor Ibrahim Lipumba. The first crop of ten messages accused Dr. Slaa of being a dangerous man who shouldn't be trusted with the task of leading a nation like Tanzania.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
Na hata polisi hawajaribu kukamata watu. Hivi mwaka huu itakuaje? Waliaibishwa jana kutoka ITV inaelekea.:A S 39:
