Massive fraud at the DPP’s office as plea bargain money stashed away in China

 

President Samia Suluhu Hassan speaks at a past event.

PHOTO | STATE HOUSE

·         SpeBy 

Paul Owere

Web Editor

Mwananchi Communications Ltd

taking in Dodoma, the President said the government is investigating a bank account in China where money collected from plea bargain agreements in the DPP's Office was stashed away.

Dodoma. The office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has come under scrutiny after President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Tuesday revealed that much of the money that was collected by the DPP through plea bargaining agreements has no trace.

Speaking in Dodoma, the President said the government is investigating a bank account in China where money collected from plea bargain agreements in the DPP's Office was stashed away.

“Part of the Plea Bargaining funds can be traced, but most of it is not available, if you trace [track] you will be told that there is an account in China," she said.

She did not however state the exact figures of how much was missing and who was the owner of the said offshore account where the money has been stashed.

Under her predecessor, the late Magufuli, billions of shillings were squeezed from businessmen who were facing serious economic crimes in plea bargain deals for the victims to be set free.

On April 28, 2021 the then Minister of Justice and Constitutional affairs, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi told Parliament that between July 2020 and March 2021 the DPP’s office had collected Sh35.07 billion out of 192 cases after the accused pleaded guilty.

In June 2021, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said his office was finalising compensation payments from the special accounts that holds monies paid by criminals who plead guilty so that these can be returned to their owners.

The assurance by DPP, Mr Sylvester Mwakitalu came at a time when stakeholders, including lawyers, were questioning the amount paid into the account, calling it an individual account and questioning its use.

The special account at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) was reportedly opened by former DPP Biswalo Mganga for the purpose of receiving and keeping monies paid by defendants who plead guilty in accordance with the plea-bargaining agreement between the two parties.