Maputo envoy in court on 300m/- theft charges

FAUSTINE KAPAMA

A FINANCE attaché at Tanzania’s High Commission in Maputo, Mozambique, Joyce Moshi, appeared before Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday facing nine counts, including money laundering and obtaining over 300m/- by false pretences.

Before Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi, the accused denied the charges, which also include forgery, uttering false documents and stealing by person in public service. She was remanded until October 30 when the case will be mentioned pending further investigations.

State Attorney Simon Wankyo, for the prosecution, told the court that the accused committed the offences between October 25, 2016 and April 12, 2017 at the High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania offices and Bank Millennium BIM Julius Nyerere Branch Maputo in the city of Maputo.

It is alleged that within the same period at the High Commission of United Republic of Tanzania offices within the city in Mozambique, with intent to defraud, Joyce forged three letters dated October 25, 2016, Feb ruary 10, 2017 and April 12, 2017.

According to the prosecution, the accused purported to show that the High Commission of United Republic of Tanzania in Mozambique has directed Bank Millennium BIM, Maputo to transfer 10,000 US dollars, 100,000 US dollars and 40,000 US dollars, respectively, from a certain account to that of Joyce.

The prosecution told the court that within the same period at the Bank Milleninum BIM-Julius Nyerere Branch Maputo in the city of Maputo, knowingly and fraudulently, the accused uttered the letters with similar purposes of transferring the said amount, totaling 150,000 US dollars.

It is further alleged that on diverse dates between October 25, 2016 and April 12, 2017 at the High Commis sion offices and the Bank, being a person employed in the Public Service, Joyce fraudulently stole the said money, the property of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Within the same period and places, with intent to defraud, the High Commission’s senior official obtained from her employer 150,000 US dollars by falsely pretending to have been instructed to withdraw the amount from a certain account to her account, while she believed it was illegal.

The court head further that between October 25, 2016 and April 12, 2017 at the High Commission offices and the Bank in Maputo City, the accused committed an offence of money laundering by acquiring the money, while knowing that the amount was proceeds of a predicate offence of forgery.