TWO former senior cabinet ministers appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam today charged with abuse of office and occasioning loss of over 11bn/- to the government. They both denied the charges and have been remanded for failure to meet bail conditions.
Basil Pesambili Mramba (pictured right) and Daniel Aggrey Ndhira Yona, who were Minister for Finance and Minister for Mineral and Energy, respectively. are facing a total of 13 counts. They pleaded "not guilty" before Resident Magistrate Hezron Mwankenja.
Thought they appeared composed on the dock as the prosecution read the charges against them, Yona was sweating profusely and kept wiping his face the whole day. Members of the public booed at them as they were being taken to remand prison.
The magistrate granted them bail, but on stringent conditions requiring each to deposit cash 3.9bn/- and secure two reliable sureties.
He also ordered them to surrender their passports and restrained them from leaving the city without court’s permission.
None of them met the conditions and were ordered to remain in remand until December 5, when their case will be mentioned.
Investigations into the case have not been completed, the prosecution, led by a team of five prosecutors told the court.
They are Principal State Attorney Boniface Stanslaus, Senior State Attorney Frederick Manyanga and three officials from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Hole Joseph, Benn Linkon and Tabu Mzee.
The then ministers, who are defended by advocates Michael Ngalo, Joseph Tadayo, Sam Mapande, Mafuru Mafuru and Elisa Msuya, arrived at the court premises in a PCCB vehicle, a Toyota Land cruiser GX registration number T 319 ATD. They boarded the same vehicle when were taken to Keko Remand Prison.
Their arraignment was witnessed by tens of people who jam packed the court premises from early in the morning, after learing that the duo would be brought there to answer criminal charges.
The charges against the two former ministers are not related with the scandal surrounding the External Payment Arrears (EPA) account of the Bank of Tanzania as was previously assumed by many.
Both accused are facing jointly five charges of abuse of office and one count of occasioning loss to the government, while Mramba alone faces eight similar counts.
It is alleged that the duo committed the offences between 2002 and 2007 at their respective offices.
The prosecution alleged that between August 2002 and May 28, 2005, being employed in public service and serving as ministers, the duo abused the authority of their offices by doing several decisions.
They include arbitrarily procured M/S Alex Stewart (Assayers) UK and its subsidiary company, M/S Alex Stewart (Assayers) Government Business Corporation to sign and execute gold production assaying agreement in Tanzania in contravention of Public Procurement Act and Mining Act, respectively.
The prosecution alleged that the former ministers left the Alex Stewart (Assayers) Government Business Corporation to sign an addendum extending gold production assaying agreement for two years from June 14, 2005 to June 23, 2007 in contravention of the said Acts.
It is alleged further that the duo invited Dr. Enrique Sugura of the said company to formalise the two years extension before the Government Negotiation Team was convened to work on the matter.
The accused also abstained from attending the mining assayer’s fees issue and submitting the agreement to the Attorney General for vetting as it was recommended by the team consequent upon which act an addendum extending the gold production assaying agreement for two years.
Between June 1003 and May 28, 2005, serving as ministers, willfully and by their failure to take reasonable care or discharge their duties in reasonable manner, the duo unjustifiably allegedly processed a gold production assaying agreement with a clause number 4.3.1.
The prosecution alleged that the said clause led to unjustified tax exemption in favour of M/S Alex Stewart) Assayers) Government Business Corporation, thereby occasioning loss to the government to the tune of 11,752,350,148/-.
While Mramba alone, the prosecution alleged, between October 10, 2004 and November 15, 2005, as Minister for Finance, abused the authority of his office by arbitrarily doing several unjustified decisions.
They include ignoring the recommendation by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) not to grant tax exemption to M/S Alex Stewart Assayers) Government Business Corporation.
He also allegedly processed and issued Government Notices (GN) No. 423/2003, 424/2003, 497/2004, 498/2004, 377/2005,378/2005, which granted tax exemption to the whole of withholding income tax payable by the said company contrary to the recommendations given by the TRA.
Between 2003 and 2007 in the city, as Minister for Finance, willfully and by his failure to take reasonable care of to discharge his duties in a reasonable manner, Mramba unjustifiably allegedly signed the said government notices.
The said notices, according to the prosecution, had the effect of exempting the said company from paying income tax, thereby occasioning loss to the government of the said 11bn/-.
SASA HICHO KIINGILISHI KIMEFUATA NINI TENA KWENYE BLOG YA JAMII AU NAWEWE UNATAKA TUSIJUE KINACHOENDELEA?
ReplyDeleteHIYO NI DANGANYA TOTO TU. KWANZAALIYECOURSE MATATIZO YOTE HAYO AMESHAKUFA NA YEYE NI BALALI . HALAFU HIYO NI KAZI YA MAHAKAMA SIO KIKWETE NA YEYE ATASIMAMA HAPOHAPO ...JAMANI PATRICK RUTABANZIBWA ITAKUWAJE HAPO NISHATI NA MADINI
ReplyDeleteHapa sasa nchi inakuwa tamu. Kuwajibika ni muhimu. Na tunategemea sheria kweli itachukua mkondo wake. Na huu uwe ni mwanzo tu kuna wengine wengi. Ili kuweza kupata ufanisi kwa kesi zijazo prosecutors wasiwe watu waliopikwa na raisi bali wawe ni watu wa wamekaa kinomanoma tu wakiwa na nia moja ya kumuangusha kigogo.
ReplyDeleteMichuzi jamaa nitampa kura yangu, haya ndiyo mambo TUNAYOYATAKA. Mimi ila ninasema Lowasa asiguswe arudishe tu hela alizoiba, ila Manji lazima aondoke !!, Mimi ninamshauri kitu kimoja tu sasa, TUONDELEE WAKUU WA MIKOA WOTE, hakuna hata moja anayefanya kazi !! and while you are at it NA MA-DC wote waondoke. ikiwezekana nenda vyuoni fanyia watu interview huko na wape kazi. na upime utendaji wao. INAKUWAJE SEHEMU INA MKUU WA WILAYA, MKUU WA MKOA na kila siku watu wanauna [ Kilosa, Tarime] Mtu ninayemsikia kufanya kazi kidogo labda Njoolay. USA wanasema watu wa kawaida wana-interact sana na local govt kuliko federal [ nyumbani ni central] govt, na kama serikali hizi hazifanyi kazi, watu wanamlaumu mheshimiwa moja kwa moja, timua watu hawa !!
ReplyDeleteNafurahi kuona jinsi mkondo wa sheria unavyofanya kazi yake! kweli kila kitu kina mwisho wake! hawamawaziri tumewasikia kwa miaka mingi, tuliwapigia kura kwa uaminifu kumbe yote ilikuwa ni udanganyifu tu. sasa jammaa zanguni uchaguzi unaokuja usimpigie mtu kura ati kwa ushabiki tunataka taifa la maendeleo,
ReplyDeleteIla nina hoja ndogo, je mwafikiri kweri hao jamaa walala rumamde? wakati nikiwa huko na camera yangu niligundua kwa mfano kwamba marehemu Ditopile alikuwa halali rumamde. alikuwa akipelekwa ikulu usiku. I found this after taking a nice photo like 347m kutoka pele zile gari zilipomfuata. na kule maeneo ya ikulu ilibidi pia nikae siku mbili kuona na pia nikamnasa. sasa nitafuatia hawa jammaa pia. nikiwanasa nitaweka kwa Michuzi blog picha zao kuwa hawalali huko. Ninandika bado kitabu kuhusu yote hayo, kitakuwa tayari baada ya kesi nyingi kuisha na amani kuwepo.
Je, nilini Mkapa atawajibika pia! tunajua alijitahidi lakini mali ya hasili inabidi pia ahojiwe hapo ndio viongozi wote hawatelewa madaraka tena! na hyo ndo itaonyesha demokrsia. manake TZ bado demokrasi twasemea mdomoni tu, lakini bado watu waogopana! sasa chama chetu cha kupiga picha video serikalini kitafanya kazi yake na kuchapisha katika magazeti mbalimbali ya duniani. kalagabao ogopa mali ya uma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish sokoine angekua hai. hawa wote wasingepata muda wa kujimegea slice of cake wenyewe bila kutunguliwa macho.
ReplyDeleteUnakumbuka mikingamo matajiri walivyohaha.
YES WE CAN!
ReplyDeleteI think despite these series of trials, We are still undermine the magnitude and the fall out of KUTOWAJIBIKA, of these felonies saving our Government,
ReplyDeleteI will give a little story about a far senator of Alaska in USA, just like our MP, his name is TED STEVENS, he was a member of senator for more than 40years, He saved his State for as long as you can remember, he has airport almost name after him, he fought for native alaskans, he brought a lot of development to the Alaska, as the one we know today, He really fought for his PEOPLE, most of the results we all to see, but he finally come to a JUNK SENATOR, convicted of crimes of not reporting gifts given by certain Companies and that he broke the law. and You know how much that gifts amount to less than 500Millions(250,000 US DOLLARS+) TANZANIAN SHILLINGS.
Now, if we reflect that, to these two MPS is totally insignificant, these two former cabinet members SIGNIFICANTLY ABUSED THE powers to the next level, 11BIllions that is 8 Millions US DOLLARS
They actually deprived the PEOPLE OF REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA of the money, that could have been used to provide loans to our university students, to road construction, to school construction, and to many more that you would think of development projects. They actually imprisoned us all when you think about it, THE DAMAGE caused is huge and UNPRECEDENTED in any modern day DEMOCRATIC country.
All is because of THEIR SELFISHNESS!! Damned with them!
By Mchangiaji.
Kwanza naipongeza serikali kwa kazi nzuri. Lakini kwa kweli kama hawa waheshimiwa wamepelekwa KISUTU kwa matumizi mabaya ya nyadhifa zao, basi sio hawa tu, list ni ndefu tena sana. Waliotumia madaraka vibaya na wakaliingiza taifa kwenye hasara kubwa ni wengi sana. Hapa nawiwa kutajwa issue ya ununuzi wa RADA kama mfano, je hawa wako wapi?Tuwasubiri KISUTU?
ReplyDeleteJK kazi bado mbichi unajua pia ktk mashirika ya umma Lowasa aliweka watu wake ili wakumalize baadae chunguza sana wakuu wa mashirika hao mafisadi wakubwaaaaa wanakula hadi mitaji..... Bandari ni moja la shirika hilo wakubwa wanagawana pesa utazani zao... wadogo wananyimwa hata mikopo lazima wazungusheeeee na kuwavunja miyoyo na hamu ya kufanyakazi ukichunguza utaona kuna mgomo wa taratibuuuu nini wakuu hao, wanajiari bila ya kufuata sifa bali undungu urafiki rushwa hadi ya ngono, mikataba feki vifaa duni vilivyotupwa ulaya na asia wao ndio wananunua kwa 10% 90% ni yao..... tafuteni watu watatoa data zoooote wanazo.. JK pole lakini kazi baado safisha baba ili maisha bora kwa kila mtanzania iwe kweli
ReplyDeleteHuu ni mwanzo mzuri ila tunaomba isijekuwa ni changa la macho tu.
ReplyDeleteKwakweli hawa jamaa ni mafisadi maana kama watu wote wameweza kujiwekea dhamana ya mahela yote hayo (zaid ya Tshs.500M) kila mtu wakati kwa mtanzania wa kawaida hata mlo mmoja ni kitendawili wao wamezipata wapi zote hizo za ziada ambazo hata zikikaa huko miaka kumi haziwasumbui?
Kwa wanaojua sheria watakubaliana na mimi hapo hakuna mashtaka yanayompeleka mtu jela. Too weak. Ni kupotezeana muda tu na siasa nyingiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. PERIOD.
ReplyDeleteJamani Watanganyika tunafanya bonge la party hapa segerea Hii Jumamosi kwa wale watakao jisikia kula raha mpaka Asubuhi karibuni sana mambo ni nyama choma pilau na pombe ya kumwaga kiingirio ni ruku yako tu. asanteni ni wale wale Boyz 2 Men. Daniel na Basil!
ReplyDeletesasa kama kosa ni matumizi mabaya ya madaraka, Lowassa je na richmond?
ReplyDeleteMchezo wa kuigiza au mazingaombwe onaoendelea kufikishwa kwa Mramba na Yona mahakamani na hatiamae keko ilo ni changa la macho tarehe 2 Desemba wataachiliwa huru kwa dhamana.Hii ni hatua ya serikali kujaribu kupunguza pressure kutoka kwa wananchi na wafadhili.Mramba na Yona katika mashitaka yao hakuna hata moja linalowahusisha na EPA tulitegemea watakaofuata ni kagoda lakini hapa tunakutana na Mazingaombwe au changa la macho.MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA
ReplyDeleteKusema la ukweli hapa hakuna kesi, ukiangalia mashtaka, hakuna shtaka hata moja linalowaweka watuhumia kwenye kona isiyokuwa na mwanya. Wakili yeoyote yule anaweza kumaliza hii kesi ndani ya miezi mitatu ikizidi sana sita,
ReplyDeleteHapa tunacheza Kidali Po! Leo atalala nacho Huyu kesh Yule! Lakini total effect is nil!
Prosso
WNDUGU YANAYOTOKEA THAILAND....SASA YANASOGEA TANZANIA....HII NI SAFIII SANA ...NAAMINI SASA WATANZANIA TUMEFUNGUKA MASIKIO.IKIBIDI WATANZANIA TUTAANDAMANA HADI AIRPORT NA KUUFUNGA UWANJA , THEN WIZARA YA FEDHA...NA SI IKULU... IKULU HAKUNA DILLI.
ReplyDeleteTUNASUBIRI TUONE KAMA NI CHANGA LA MACHO ! HONGERA RAIS JK... KEEP IT UP.