IGP takes over police probe over State House 'forgery'
Thisday, Friday, August 11 2006
THE Inspector General of Police, Mr Saidi Mwema, is now personally supervising investigations into a scam involving forgery of State House documents, police sources said yesterday.
''In July, following complaints from a number of parties, the investigation has been reassigned to officers who are now reporting directly to the Inspector General of Police,'' a police source said.
The forgery of State House documents was first published by THISDAY and its sister KULIKONI newspaper in April, this year, but there has been concerns on progress in the investigation of the case.
The conmen had forged official Ikulu documents and Coat of Arms purportedly from the President's Office in an attempt to prevent a British business investor, Mr Mark Foley, from entering Tanzania. The case was originally being investigated by the office of the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
However, sources say the investigations are now being led by a police inspector who is acting on instructions received directly from the IGP with the State House closely monitoring the probe.
''The detective handling the case now is a qualified accountant and has been assigned to this case in order to investigate allegations of serious fraud,'' the source said.
Allegations of fraud were linked to changes in management and ownership of a local company known as Construction Equipment Africa Limited in September 2004.
Mr Foley was the original investor of Construction Equipment Africa Limited, which he claims was later taken away from him through fraudulent means.
The company provides generators and support services to cellphone service providers in Tanzania, including Vodacom, Celtel and Mobitel. It was originally incorporated in Tanzania in April 2001.
Police have since called Mr. Raymond Orr, the firm's Finance Director, for questioning in connection with the issuance of a share certificate that was signed by Mr. Orr and granted the Company's Managing Director, Robert Thomson, 50 per cent ownership of Construction Equipment Africa.
Mr. Orr is also being questioned on the opening of a bank account at Standard Chartered Bank in June 2004.
Police have also questioned officials from State House and journalists familiar with the matter.
Investigators are questioning witnesses about representations made by various parties to Immigration authorities in April 2005 that led to Mr Foley being apprehended by immigration officers and wrongfully accused of being an illegal immigrant.