EPA PROBE FALLOUT: BoT officials suspended

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Feb 11, 2007
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EPA PROBE FALLOUT: BoT officials suspended

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

AT least five senior officials of the Bank of Tanzania have been suspended over the massive misuse of 133bn/- from the external payment arrears account (EPA), THISDAY can reveal today.

The five officials who held key positions in the BoT were involved in one way or another in authorising dubious payments from the EPA account during 2005/06.

Their suspension follows President Jakaya Kikwete’s instructions to the BoT Board of Directors under the chairmanship of the new Governor, Prof. Benno Ndullu, to go after all central bank officials who were involved in the fraudulent payments.

’’(The) BoT officials were suspended, pending external payment arrears (EPA) account investigations, in order to establish the truth,’’ the BoT’s Senior Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Mwero, said in a statement to THISDAY.

He added: ’’BoT’s role is only to furnish the (government) investigating team with any relevant information needed to accomplish the investigations.’’

The BoT spokesman said investigations against the role of BoT officials in the EPA scandal were on two fronts -- determining their involvement in the dubious transactions and establishing whether or not they personally benefited from the huge sums of money paid out from the key central bank account.

’’As you are clearly aware, investigations on the above (subject) are being undertaken by the investigating team appointed by President Jakaya Kikwete under the chairmanship of Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika. Once the team finalizes its investigations, the relevant government organs, based on the findings of the team, will subsequently take the necessary steps, including court action,’’ he said.

The BoT statement was in response to a fresh report published by THISDAY which highlighted widespread public concerns that senior BoT officials who facilitated the massive embezzlement of EPA funds were still under the very employ of the central bank.

However, the BoT yesterday sought to allay these fears by explaining that the five officials were under suspension pending ongoing EPA investigations.

It was not immediately clear if the officials were suspended without pay or otherwise, and whether or not they would stay home for the entire duration of the probe (six months).

Following the conclusion of a special audit on the BoT by Ernst & Young, President Kikwete immediately sacked former Governor Dr Daudi Ballali and appointed the AG to head a high-level government investigation into the EPA scandal.

The president also named Prof. Ndulu as the new boss of the central bank and directed the BoT’s Board of Directors to take swift action against all officials of the bank implicated in the scandal.

According to latest THISDAY findings, a sizeable amount of the 133bn/- stolen from the EPA account ended up lining the pockets of some corrupt central bank officials as kickbacks.

It is understood that the senior BoT officials facilitated the illegal payment of billions of shillings to the businessmen who benefited from the EPA funds under the agreement that some of the money would be diverted to their own bank accounts.

Some of the billions of shillings in illegal kickbacks paid out to the BoT businessmen are known to have been deposited in offshore bank accounts while other funds were channelled to local bank accounts under various names.

’’In one particular case, a very senior BoT official even directed one of the local commercial banks in Dar es Salaam to transfer some of the EPA funds to a bank account in Hong Kong,’’ said a source familiar with the scandal.

He added: ’’This is quite remarkable because the then top BoT official was actually instructing a private commercial bank to facilitate money laundering through an offshore bank account.’’

Insiders say senior BoT officials who solicited bribes in exchange for facilitating the fraudulent EPA payments have amassed quite a ’small fortune.’

’’These senior BoT officials behind the EPA scam are known to own expensive mansions at Masaki and other posh neighbourhoods in Dar es Salaam and can be seen driving some very fancy cars,’’ said another source.
 
Waangalie wasije wakaanza kuviadabisha vidagaa, sisi tunayataka mapapa na si mmoja, waondoke wote na si kuondoka tu, walipe kulingana na jinsi walivyotukosea.
Mwaka huu ni ama zao ama zetu, tumenyonywa kiasi cha kutosha
 
...good job lakini firing tuu haitoshi,inabidi wabadilishe mfumo wao wa ufanyaji kazi ili kuzuia mambo kama hayo yasitokee tena,la sivyo itakuwa ni zima moto tuu.
 
...good job lakini firing tuu haitoshi,inabidi wabadilishe mfumo wao wa ufanyaji kazi ili kuzuia mambo kama hayo yasitokee tena,la sivyo itakuwa ni zima moto tuu.

Let's keep up the pressure on EPA scandal

EPA saga: suspects to appear in court
By Rosina John and Bernard James
THE CITIZEN

The Bank of Tanzania (BoT)'s Sh133 million External Payment Arrears (EPA) account saga continues to twist and turn with recent revelations that at least four key suspects may appear in court tomorrow, separately facing theft and forgery charges.

Impeccable sources privy to the EPA case told The Citizen yesterday the suspects would no longer face earlier preferred charges of economic sabotage, but instead would face theft and forgery charges, which apparently are lighter and could guarantee them bail.

The latest revelations comes just a day after the task force, formed by President Jakaya Kikwete to investigate the irregular payment of billions of shillings from BoT, pleaded for public patience as the probe entered crucial stages.

The plea comes amid public outcry over the delay by the task force to charge the suspects in court. The public had also demanded names of those who were said to have paid back about Sh50 billion as part of the siphoned money.

But The Citizen has established that at least four main suspects have already been notified about their impending trial, which could add an interesting twist to the saga.

Although expectations were high that the suspects could be hauled before the court yesterday, they did not appear until late afternoon.

Insiders said some of the suspects were in police custody finalising their cases before the much anticipated court appearance. And yesterday police reportedly subjected three of the key suspects against whom indisputable evidence had been gathered to intense interrogation.

Some of the suspects have been working tirelessly over the weekend to raise money and other things that would help them meet bail conditions should formal charges been instituted against them.

One of the main suspects has already been summoned from Zanzibar, and will today be questioned here before the team finally goes to court, said the source, preferring anonymity.
 
Mimi siwaamini watoa habari za BOT kuja kwenye magazeti

Hawajiamini ndio maana wanatoa habari robo robo. Unatoa habari kwamba kuna maofisa wamesimamishwa, basi tupeni majina yao na vyeo vyao. Siyo msubiri tena mwezi mzima ndiyo mje kutoa majina yao. Bado ni usanii tu!
 
EPA PROBE FALLOUT: BoT officials suspended

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

AT least five senior officials of the Bank of Tanzania have been suspended over the massive misuse of 133bn/- from the external payment arrears account (EPA)

Talk about euphemisms... siyo wizi tena sasa ni "misuse". Naona mwandishi anapooza makali...

Following the conclusion of a special audit on the BoT by Ernst & Young, President Kikwete immediately sacked former Governor Dr Daudi Ballali and appointed the AG to head a high-level government investigation into the EPA scandal.

Er...it was more like "after dillydallying for a while", President Kikwete "revoked" Dr.Ballali's appointment. Hizi ndio kati ya zile sifa hewa anazopewa mheshimiwa Rais baada ya kutofanya wajibu wake.

The rest of the story without the names of the suspects or even their respective positions at the bank being mentioned is just that, a story...
 
Udhoofu wa viongozi unaonekana hapa wanapopata vigugumizi katika kuona haki inatendeka kwa mujibu wa Katiba ya Jamuhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania. Hivi kama huwezi kutetea katiba ya Jamuhuri kwa nini uwe kiongozi.
 
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