Govt denies Tanesco board fired legal officer after due diligence in IPTL saga

By Sylivester Domasa

Legal officer of Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) Godwin Ngwilimi.

The government has refuted claims that legal officer of Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) Godwin Ngwilimi was not fired but rather, he resigned voluntarily.The claimed government clarification was prompted by the Wednesday tabling of the Parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC) investigation report on the controversial Independent Power Tanzania Ltd Tegeta escrow account.

The committee said Ngwilimi was tasked by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) to conduct due diligence of a share holder of the escrow account the Malaysian company Mechmar Corporation.

According to the PAC report, Ngwilimi conducted the due diligence but when he submitted his report to the Tanesco board, he was fired.

“This is extremely not true,” declared Energy and Minerals Minister Prof Sospeter Muhongo before parliament yesterday.

The minister who is implicated in the scandal and whom PAC is demanding to step down, claimed that the legal officer was also not asked by the Attorney General Justice, Fredrick Werema, to make the trip to Malaysia but rather according to the minister, the legal officer lied to Tanesco when he asked permission to fly to Malaysia with some officer in the Anthony’s General Office.

 “The truth is, he was not tasked by the AG…he had his own safari,” the scandal stained minister claimed.

“On his return, he submitted a resignation letter to the Tanesco Director General who accepted the resignation a month later,” he explained citing proof documents including the resignation letter titled ‘Notice to terminate my service with Tanesco’ filed on 27th February this year and the granted permission dated March 10, 2014 with ref No 837.