Tanzania: Nine Land in Trouble Over Fake Stamps

By Tausi Ally

Dar es Salaam — Jaluma General Supplies Limited director, Mr Lucas Mallya (42) and eight others were yesterday arraigned before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court facing 28 charges including

tax evasion and occasioning the government with Sh31.57 billion loss.

Charged alongside Mr Mallya are: Emmanuel Peter (25), Happy Mwamugunda of Happy Imports Associates, Prochesi Shayo, Prokolini Shayo, Godfrey Urio, Nyasulu Nkyapi, Tunsubilege Mateni and Nelson Kahangwa.

Reading the charge sheet before magistrate Godfrey Isaya, state attorney, Faraja Ngukah said the accused committed the offence between January 1, 2015 and January 7, 2020 at different places of Dar es Salaam.

He said on June 3, 2019 while in Dar es Salaam, Mr Mallya fabricated electronic tax documents purporting that they has been issued by Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). On the same day, Mr Mallya presented forged documents showing that the 'fabricated' electronic tax stamps were genuine while it wasn't true.

In the fourth counts, the court was told that on January 7, 2020, while at Chang'ombe Area in the city, Mr Mallya was found in possession of 93 rollers of electronic tax stamps worth Sh80.516 million which had been printed without permission of the tax commissioner.

It was demanded that between January 1, 2016 and December 1, 2019, he forged electronic stamp duties occasioning the government with Sh15.24 billion loss.

The accused was also charged of generating Sh15.24 billion while knowing the amount came from tax evasion. State attorney, Zacharia Ndaskoi, told the court that on January 3, this year at Mbezi Makabe, Mr Peter was found with four rollers of electronic tax stamps worth Sh1.104 million printed without the permission of the commissioner for tax.

In 13 counts, Mr Proches and Prokolini stand accused of distributing products bearing forged electronic tax stamps at Tabata Area in the city.

In the process, the court heard, the accused persons avoided payment of Sh38.827 million and Sh2.359 billion in taxes.

The case was postponed to February 12, 2020 when it will come up for mention.

The suspects were taken to remand prison because the accounts of money laundering are unbailable in Tanzania.