1 JULY 2021
Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
By Faustin Kapama
THE Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has dropped the money laundering charge against four officers with the National Environment Management Council (NEMC), who are facing some economic charges at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in Dar es Salaam
The good news was announced by Prosecuting Attorney from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Nixon Shayo before Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi yesterday when the trial came for hearing.
Following such charges of circumstances, the accused persons, Deusdedith Katwale, Magori Matiku and Obadia Machupa, all Environmental Officers at NEMC Headquarters and Lyidia Nyinondi, who is Assistant Accountant, will be entitled to bail as the remaining eight offences are bailable under the law.
Such charges include conspiracy to commit offences, fraud, abuse of position and occasioning loss to a specified authority.
The preceding magistrate proceeded to grant bail to the accused persons on grounds of each securing one surety with national identification card who could sign a bond of 20m/-.
However, Matitu could not be bailed out because he is facing another case before the same court, and was thus returned to remand. The case has been set for hearing on July 22, 2021.
It is alleged by the prosecution that on diverse dates between June 1, 2016 and July 30, 2017 at various places in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma cities, jointly and together, the accused persons conspired to commit various offences of forgery, uttering false documents and causing loss to a specified authority.
The prosecution alleged that between July 4, 2016 and January 1, 2017 within the two cities, Katwale forged two documents, Site Verification Report and Minutes for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) relating to Ibra General Enterprises Fuel Filling Station Project.
Such project, according to the prosecution, is on Plot No. 132 Block T, Chadulu Street Area E in Dodoma. The accused person is alleged to have purported to show that the initial environmental audit for the project was conducted and that a meeting was held and minutes recorded, while it was false.
The court heard also that on July 5, 2016 at NEMC offices in Kinondoni District, Lydia allegedly forged a receipt valued at 18.5m/-, purporting to show that such an amount was paid to the Council, a fact which to her knowledge was not true.
Between June 1, 2016 and July 30, 2017 at NEMC offices in Kinondoni District, knowingly and fraudulently, Katwale allegedly uttered the two false documents, that is the Report and Minutes, to the Director General in respect of the project in question.
According to the prosecution, the accused person purported to show that the verification was conducted and the said minutes were of the Technical Advisory Committee Meeting.
The prosecution told the court that on July 5, 2016 at NEMC offices in Dar es Salaam, knowingly and fraudulently, Matiku uttered the said receipt to one Yunus Mfala, who is the owner of Ibra General Enterprises Fuel Filling Station.
Between June 1, 2016 and July 30, 2017 within Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam, being employees of NEMC, jointly and together, in violation of section 29 of the Environmental Management Act, the accused persons allegedly intentionally abused their positions, thereby obtaining 18.5m/-.
The court was told further that on diverse dates between June 1, 2016 and July 30, 2017 at NEMC offices in Kinondoni District, being employees of the Council, by their willful acts, jointly and together, all accused persons caused their employer to suffer pecuniary loss of the said amount.
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