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- Feb 11, 2007
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After Mramba, Yona swoop:Three more grand corruption cases lined up for prosecution
In next few weeks or maybe even days
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
THE government has lined up at least three more major corruption cases expected to land in court soon in the wake of the prosecutions of former senior Cabinet ministers Basil Mramba and Daniel Yona, THISDAY can now reveal.
The pending new cases stem from a string of long-running investigations by the governments anti-graft watchdog, the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), and are separate from the ongoing EPA scandal trials.
Well-placed sources say the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Eliezer Feleshi, has already given his consent for the prosecution of at least three more cases of grand corruption.
After the arraignment of Mramba and Yona, prosecutors are now finalizing procedures for filing similar criminal charges against other prominent persons anytime soon, one of the sources told THISDAY.
The PCCB Director-General, Dr Edward Hoseah, was yesterday not immediately available to comment about these latest reports.
However, independent government sources confirmed to THISDAY that state attorneys were indeed in the final stages of unveiling more grand corruption trials in the next few weeks or maybe even days.
It is understood that the PCCB has for some time now been investigating a number of grand corruption allegations, including the 70bn/- military radar purchase scandal that led to the resignation of former infrastructure development minister Andrew Chenge, and the Buzwagi gold contract signed by ex-energy and minerals minister Nazir Karamagi under dubious circumstances.
So far, authorities have filed charges of perjury and lying to an investigating officer against fugitive businessman Shailesh Vithlani, who was the middleman in the radar deal.
However, the PCCB has yet to file any corruption charges against senior third phase government officials alleged to have received huge kickback payoffs to approve the 2002 radar deal.
The Bureau is also known to have been investigating several companies related to the countrys gold mining industry, understood to have received millions of US dollars from the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) under questionable circumstances.
These companies include Mwananchi Gold Company Limited, linked to former Prime Minister Joseph Warioba and several other individuals, and the Meremeta and Tangold companies, where Chenges name also prominently features.
Government officials say the dubiously-done 2005 privatization of the formerly state-owned Kiwira Coal Mine is also on the list of ongoing investigations.
As previously established through THISDAY investigations, Yona (then minister responsible for energy and minerals) and then president Benjamin Mkapa were both deeply involved in the Kiwira privatization process � using their senior government positions to ensure it was speeded up in convenience with their own joint private business interests.
With the latest appearance in the dock of Yona and Mramba on charges related to a different case altogether (the Alex Stewart Assayers gold auditing contract), public speculation has suddenly become rife about the imminent prosecution of other high-profile politicians - both past and present � for corruption offences.
At the same time, pressure has continued to mount on the DPP to file charges against the main architects of the 40bn/- BoT external payment arrears (EPA) account fraud linked to the infamous Kagoda Agriculture Limited company.
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda told journalists in Dar es Salaam earlier this week that there was no way the people behind the massive Kagoda fraud will avoid prosecution.
Meanwhile, crowds of curious onlookers yesterday continued to gather at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates Court in the city, hoping for a glimpse of more big fish to be snared in the governments anti-corruption dragnet.
This followed the sensational arraignment of ex-ministers Yona and Mramba at the same court on Tuesday.
In next few weeks or maybe even days
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
THE government has lined up at least three more major corruption cases expected to land in court soon in the wake of the prosecutions of former senior Cabinet ministers Basil Mramba and Daniel Yona, THISDAY can now reveal.
The pending new cases stem from a string of long-running investigations by the governments anti-graft watchdog, the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), and are separate from the ongoing EPA scandal trials.
Well-placed sources say the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Eliezer Feleshi, has already given his consent for the prosecution of at least three more cases of grand corruption.
After the arraignment of Mramba and Yona, prosecutors are now finalizing procedures for filing similar criminal charges against other prominent persons anytime soon, one of the sources told THISDAY.
The PCCB Director-General, Dr Edward Hoseah, was yesterday not immediately available to comment about these latest reports.
However, independent government sources confirmed to THISDAY that state attorneys were indeed in the final stages of unveiling more grand corruption trials in the next few weeks or maybe even days.
It is understood that the PCCB has for some time now been investigating a number of grand corruption allegations, including the 70bn/- military radar purchase scandal that led to the resignation of former infrastructure development minister Andrew Chenge, and the Buzwagi gold contract signed by ex-energy and minerals minister Nazir Karamagi under dubious circumstances.
So far, authorities have filed charges of perjury and lying to an investigating officer against fugitive businessman Shailesh Vithlani, who was the middleman in the radar deal.
However, the PCCB has yet to file any corruption charges against senior third phase government officials alleged to have received huge kickback payoffs to approve the 2002 radar deal.
The Bureau is also known to have been investigating several companies related to the countrys gold mining industry, understood to have received millions of US dollars from the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) under questionable circumstances.
These companies include Mwananchi Gold Company Limited, linked to former Prime Minister Joseph Warioba and several other individuals, and the Meremeta and Tangold companies, where Chenges name also prominently features.
Government officials say the dubiously-done 2005 privatization of the formerly state-owned Kiwira Coal Mine is also on the list of ongoing investigations.
As previously established through THISDAY investigations, Yona (then minister responsible for energy and minerals) and then president Benjamin Mkapa were both deeply involved in the Kiwira privatization process � using their senior government positions to ensure it was speeded up in convenience with their own joint private business interests.
With the latest appearance in the dock of Yona and Mramba on charges related to a different case altogether (the Alex Stewart Assayers gold auditing contract), public speculation has suddenly become rife about the imminent prosecution of other high-profile politicians - both past and present � for corruption offences.
At the same time, pressure has continued to mount on the DPP to file charges against the main architects of the 40bn/- BoT external payment arrears (EPA) account fraud linked to the infamous Kagoda Agriculture Limited company.
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda told journalists in Dar es Salaam earlier this week that there was no way the people behind the massive Kagoda fraud will avoid prosecution.
Meanwhile, crowds of curious onlookers yesterday continued to gather at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates Court in the city, hoping for a glimpse of more big fish to be snared in the governments anti-corruption dragnet.
This followed the sensational arraignment of ex-ministers Yona and Mramba at the same court on Tuesday.
