Mgonja fails to get court permission to see ailing mother

[BAK]

Mgonja fails to get court permission to see ailing mother
FAUSTINE KAPAMA
Daily News; Friday,January 09, 2009 @21:15​

Former Permanent Secretary with Treasury, Gray Mgonja, has asked the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court to allow him to travel outside Dar es Salaam to attend his sick parents in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. Resident Magistrate Hezron Mwankenja said yesterday that Mgonja, who faces charges of abuse of office and occasioning 11.7bn/- loss to the government, filed a letter in court on Thursday.

The magistrate said, however, that the applicant (Mgonja) did not indicate in the letter the date of his departure and return, but insisted he would be available on February 2, when his case will be mentioned. “Mgonja only indicated the destination, that he wants to go to Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region to meet his sick mother and he wants to go to Arusha to meet with his sick father,” Magistrate Mwankenja said.

According to the magistrate, he has not given any decision on the request, as the letter and the file of the case were still with the magistrate in charge of the court, Principal Resident Magistrate Addy Lyamuya. Last week, Mgonja’s co-accused, Basil Mramba and Daniel Yona, the then Minister of Finance and Minister for Energy and Minerals, respectively, filed before the court letters, seeking permission to leave the city.

Mramba requested for 29 days starting January 3 to February 1, this year, to allow him to attend parliamentary activities in his constituency and Dodoma, while Yona requested for seven days from January 3 to January 10. The letter has sought permission to allow him meet with his sick parents in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region. The magistrate granted both requests, insisting that the duo should attend their case on February 2.

The decision by the trio to seek permission is in compliance with one of bail conditions extended to them, including being restrained to leave the city without seeking first for court’s permission. Other bail conditions are depositing in court 2bn/- in cash or surrendering the title deed of immovable property valued at the equivalent amount, securing two sureties each to sign bond of the same amount and surrendering their passports.

In the case, the accused are alleged to have committed the offences by doing controversial decisions, giving preferential treatments of M/S Alex Stewart (Assayers) Government Business Corporation. Between 2003 and 2007 in the city, willfully and by their failure to take reasonable care to discharge his duties in a reasonable manner, Mramba, Yona and Mgonja allegedly caused the government to suffer a pecuniary loss of the said 11.7bn/-.

 

[William J. Malecela]

The magistrate said, however, that the applicant (Mgonja) did not indicate in the letter the date of his departure and return, but insisted he would be available on February 2, when his case will be mentioned. “Mgonja only indicated the destination, that he wants to go to Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region to meet his sick mother and he wants to go to Arusha to meet with his sick father,” Magistrate Mwankenja said.

According to the magistrate, he has not given any decision on the request, as the letter and the file of the case were still with the magistrate in charge of the court, Principal Resident Magistrate Addy Lyamuya. Last week, Mgonja’s co-accused, Basil Mramba and Daniel Yona, the then Minister of Finance and Minister for Energy and Minerals, respectively, filed before the court letters, seeking permission to leave the city.

- Yaaani angalau wajifunze kuwa hili taifa huwa lina sheria ambazo ingawa huwa hazifuatwi na wakubwa kama wao walivyowahi kuwa, kuna wanyonge na walalahoi ambao huwa tunazifuata na huwa zinatubana kama wao this time, that is all we could ask for!

- Na huyu Mwankenja anaonekana kuwa kichwa na makini sana, tuko pamoja naye waendelee kula joto ya jiwe tu pole pole mpaka kitakapoeleweka!

 

[Nyambala]

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