Attorney General files extradition proceedings against local driver

DAILY NEWS Reporter

THE Attorney General has filed extradition proceedings against a Tanzanian driver, Frank Anastas Lui, who is wanted in Zambia on fraud charges relating to transportation of 36,000 litres of fuel worth 20,000 US dollars (about 40m/-).

Such proceedings were filed at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam last week, where the Attorney General requested for orders to detain the driver, pending his extradition to Zambia to face his trial. Principal Resident Magistrate Dr Yohana Yongolo granted the request.

The application in question was supported by an affidavit sworn by State Attorney George Barasa, for the Attorney General, who stated that the United Republic of Tanzania and Republic of Zambia have concluded extradition agreement.

Both countries, he stated, are parties to London Scheme of Extradition within the Commonwealth and SADC Protocol on extradition. Lui was employed by a Tanzanian company, ASAS Transport and Logistic Limited.

Between March 5 and 25, this year, the driver was assigned to drive a truck with its trailer.

The vehicle with registration number T 629 DDC/T 178 DDC was loaded with the said fuel and Lui’s duty was to deliver the same to Delta Energy Company in Zambia. However, according to the affidavit, Lui is alleged to have offloaded the fuel at unknown destination.

Barasa stated claims in the affidavit that the driver presented false documents purporting to show that he delivered the fuel to the intended company in Zambia. The police in Zambia, according to him, launched investigations, which involved pursuing the driver.

Later it was discovered that Lui had driven back to Tanzania. On April 11, this year, the Magistrate Court Class II at Lusaka Zambia issued arrest warrant for the arrest of the driver and one Kassim Mbwana Mchawi.

Thereafter, the Zanzibar Competent Authority presented an extradition request to the Tanzania’s Attorney General for extradition of the fugitive criminal. The state attorney affirmed that on August 2, this year, the Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam endorsed the warrant of arrest issued by the Zambian Court.

The endorsed warrant of arrest obliged the arrest of the alleged fugitive criminal (Lui). He revealed that investigations have revealed that Lui participated in making the false documents and stealing of the fuel property of Delta Energy in Zambia