Tanzanian business magnate Yusuf Manji.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian business magnate Yusuf Manji is back in town after months of absence.
A prominent businessman, Mr Manji found the going tough during the reign of the immediate-past President, the late John Magufuli.
The darling of millions of Tanzanian soccer fans due to his generous and results-oriented sponsorship of Dar es Salaam Young Africans Soccer Club, Manji was subjected to a number of court cases during Dr Magufuli’s Presidency.
Mr Manji’s troubles began in February 2017 when the-then Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Paul Makonda, controversially linked him and several other prominent individuals with drug use and peddling in the region.
He was later charged with using narcotic drugs, but was released on bail. But he was just as soon in trouble again - this time the Immigration Department accusing him of employing 25 foreigners who had no valid work permits.
In an apparent reconciliation gesture with the authorities, Mr Manji’s Q-Consult Limited - a subsidiary of the Quality Group of Companies - ceded ownership of Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam.
Mr Manji said in a newspaper advertisement that the decision was in compliance with President Magufuli’s directive that the area be left for public use. He also apologised to President Magufuli for any inconvenience he may have caused.
The Coco Beach matter dates back to 2005 when the Kinondoni Municipal Council announced a tender for development of the area. Q-Consult was awarded the tender and a memorandum of understanding was signed between the company and the council in 2007.
But, that was not the end of Manji’s troubles with the Magufuli administration. In 2017, he was arrested and charged with unbailable economic sabotage cases.
After spending several weeks in remand prison, he was released after the Director of Public Prosecutions said it had no intention of proceeding with the cases.
Mr Manji and three other people were charged with economic sabotage and the illegal possession of government stamps and clothing used in making Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) uniforms.
The ‘persecution’ by authorities saw to Mr Manji leaving Tanzania later; but he returned to the country after almost three years living in Canada and South Africa.
He was questioned by authorities upon his arrival in Dar es Salaam.
The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) director general, Salum Hamduni, confirmed yesterday that Mr Manji was arrested on Tuesday after landing at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in the city - and is under interrogation.
Commenting on the reasons for arresting Manji, Mr Hamduni said he was being questioned over three issues relating to his businesses.
Mr Hamduni said before Manji left the country, there was an investigation which revealed some tax evasions involving two of his companies: Inter-trade Commercial Ltd Services and the Golden Globe International Services Limited.
“His company was trading with Tanzania Electricity Company (Tanesco) between 2011 and 2015, and is accused of causing losses to the government by evading value-added tax and some other frauds,” said Mr Hamduni.
He noted that through another firm - Golden Globe – Mr Manji is alleged to have committed fraud in the purchase of shares of Tigo Tanzania. “Another allegation involves his Quality Group about the revenue of Yanga Football Club,” said Mr Hamduni.
Reports from JNIA reveal that upon arrival, Mr Manji was interrogated for several minutes by the Immigration officials but was released after questioning.
Mr Manji is said to have had the desire to return home since President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed her resolve to open the doors for traders and investors.
She also warned the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) over unfair tax collection methods, asking it to be friendly while seeking a better business environment.
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