Tanzania: More Time Asked to Investigate Tpa Fraud Case

By Suleiman Shagata in Mwanza

THE prosecution has asked for more time to complete investigations into the trial of 10 people,

including a Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) senior official, who are facing 94 economic crimes, including money laundering and occasioning a loss of over 8bn/-.

Senior State Attorney Yamiko Mlekano, Dorothea Kinyonto and Dismas Muganyizi told Resident Magistrate in Charge Monica Ndyekobora at the Mwanza Resident Magistrate's Court that investigations into the matter were incomplete.

In the circumstances, the trial attorneys sought for the adjournment of the trial to another date pending further investigations into the case.

The magistrate granted the prosecution's request and adjourned the case until July 23, 2020 for another mention.

The accused are Deogratius Lema and Aike Mapuli, both former senior accountants at TPA head office, Marystella Minja, who was accounting officer at the TPA headquarters and Thomas Akile, a former accountant at Mwanza Office.

Others are Ibrahim Lusato, then assistant accountant at Mwanza Port, Wendelin Tibuhwa, former cashier at Mwanza Harbour Centre, James Mbedule, a former tax officer at Mwanza Port Station and Leocard Kipengele, a private advocate from Mnengele and Associates Company and ELA Advocates.

On the same trial are Japhet Jirori, former management accounts manager with TPA and Advocate Arnold Temba, who is managing director with ELA Advocates and Mnengele & Associates Company.

Other charges include leading an organised crime, forgery of different money transfer documents, uttering false documents and stealing by public servants.

State attorneys alleged that the accused committed the offences on diverse dates between February 2015 and February 2020 at TPA offices in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza cities.

Within the same period and places the accused allegedly furthered a criminal racket with a view to either reaping profit or obtaining benefits.

It is alleged that in the same period the accused forged some money transfer documents. The prosecution told the court that in the same period and places in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, the accused stole 8.3bn/-, the property of TPA.

Between February 2015 and February 2020 at the offices of TPA in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, knowingly and by their willful acts, the accused allegedly caused TPA to suffer a pecuniary loss of money.