FAUSTINE KAPAMA
Daily News; Thursday,January 22, 2009
A PROSECUTION witness yesterday said the procedure used in settling debts under External Payments Arrears (EPA) by the Central Bank was improper.
The witness, Mr Peter Noni, said he had once advised the then Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Daudi Ballali, to review the system, but he never responded to the proposal.
He told the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court in Dar es Salaam that all commercial debts under EPA were settled upon specific approval of the governor, a system which he (Noni) was against.
"But I never heard the governor complaining on that system of settling the debts," he told a panel of magistrates that was presiding over a case facing three former Central Bank officials and a businessman.
He, however, said in cross-examination that his advice to the then governor had been verbal and not in writing. Dr Ballali died last year in the United States.
Mr Noni, the Strategic Planning Performance Review Director of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), said the institution had no proper procedure that was used to settle such debts.
"All claimants were required to channel their debt documents directly to the governor or his deputy and later forwarded to the relevant department for scrutiny," he told principal resident magistrates Addy Lyamuya, Ignas Kitusi and John Utamwa.
Mr Noni said this during cross-examination by Advocates Majura Magafu, Makake Masatu and Mabere Marando, when testifying in the case against Esther Komu, Acting Director Debt Department, Imani Mwakosya, Head Bilateral and Commercial Debt Division and Bosco Kimola, Acting Secretary to the bank and businessman Rashid Maranda. They are charged with conspiracy and theft of over 207m/- from BoT's EPA account.
Mr Noni, the first prosecution witness (PWI), said the government paid commercial debts using four programmes, including convertion of bilateral debts into grants -- a system introduced in the 1980s up to 1990s.
Others, he testified, were Paris Club Programme, which started in 1986 to 2003, Debt Conversion Programme introduced in 1990 to 1993 and Dept Pay Back Programme, which started in 1994 to 2004.
Thereafter there was no formal programme that was introduced to settle the debts.
He told the court that the Central Bank continued to pay the debts, especially those which were brought at the bank under legal pressure.
However, he said, the Directorate of Economic Policy, which he was heading by that time was mandated to scrutinize debt requests.
All debt documents, according to him, passed through Dr Ballali, who then and forwarded them to him and later to the Bilateral and Commercial Debt Department headed by Mwakosya for scrutiny.
Thereafter, he testified, the documents were taken to the office of the Secretary to the bank to certify their authenticity and later forwarded them to his office for recommendations for payment or otherwise.
Mr Noni testified that the documents were also taken back to the governor for approval. He insisted that debt payments could not be made without the knowledge of the governor because by that time the Central Bank had no enough foreign money.
Siri ya Kagoda hii hapa (MwanaHalisi)
USHAHIDI wa kwanza na muhimu kwamba fedha zilizoibwa na Kampuni ya Kagoda kutoka Benki Kuu (BoT) uliidhinishwa na viongozi wakuu nchini, sasa umepatikana, MwanaHALISI limeelezwa.
Waraka wa wakili aliyeshuhudia mikataba ya Kagoda na makampuni mengine ya kupata fedha hizo, unamtaja rais mstaafu Benjamin Mkapa kuwa miongoni mwa waliofanikisha mpango huo.
Katika andishi rasmi kwa Kamati ya rais Jakaya Kikwete ya kushughulikia wizi kwenye akaunti ya Madeni ya Nje (EPA), wakili huyo anakiri kuwa ni yeye alifanya attestation kushuhudia mikataba ya Kagoda na makampuni mengine ya nje.
Bhyidinka Michael Sanze, wakili katika kampuni ya mawakili ya Malegesi Malegesi Law Chambers ya Dar es Salaam, anasema katika andishi lake kuwa alishuhudia mikataba hiyo ndani ya ofisi za kampuni ya Caspian Construction Limited ambayo inamilikiwa na mfanyabiashara na mbunge wa Igunga, Rostam Aziz.
Aidha, kwa ushahidi wa Sanze, mbunge Rostam Aziz, ndiye kinara wa mpango mzima uliofanikisha wizi wa zaidi ya Sh. 40 bilioni kutoka BoT.
Niliitwa na Bw. Malegesi ofisini kwa Bw. Rostam Aziz, 50 Milambo, Ofisi za Caspian Construction Limited. Nilipofika
niliwakuta Bw. Rostam Aziz, Peter Noni na Bw. Malegesi, wakaniambia fedha hizo zinahitajika kwa ajili ya kugharamia uchaguzi wa CCM na rais wake, ameeleza Sanze.
Wakili anaeleza kuwa alikuta documents nyaraka zimeshaadaliwa ambazo niliombwa nizi-sign (niziweke saini). Nikauliza hizo fedha zinakotoka na nitathibitisha vipi kabla ya kusaini.
Andishi la wakili linaeleza kuwa Rostan Aziz, Peter Noni na Bered Malegesi walimthibitishia Sanze kuwa Rostam alikuwa kwenye kikao ambako rais mstaafu Mkapa alitoa maelekezo kwa Gavana Ballali kutoa fedha hizo kwa Rostam kwa ajili ya uchaguzi.
Wakati huo Peter Noni alikuwa Mkurugenzi wa Mipango na Uchumi katika BoT. Hivi sasa ni Mkurugenzi wa Mpango ya Kimikakati. Ballali alikuwa gavana wa BoT. Alifariki dunia mwaka jana nchini Marekani.
Sanze anasema Malegesi aliishakwenda kujiridhisha kwa Ballali na Katibu Mkuu wa CCM,Bw. Philip Mangula kuwa yaliyosemwa na Rostam yalikuwa kweli.
Hata hivyo Sanze anaongeza kuwa, Rostam mwenyewe alisema, system yote inajua. Anasema kwamba baada ya maelezo hayo ya Rostam, alishuhudia mikataba hiyo kwa kusaini.
Kwa mujibu wa andishi la Sanze ambalo linathibitishwa kwa saini yake, Malegesi alimwita Noni ofisini mwake baada ya jina la Sanze kutajwa magazetini akihusishwa na Kagoda, lakini aliambiwa kuwa nitulie tu serikali inalishughulikia swala hilo.
Haya hivyo, Sanze anasema katika andishi hilo kuwa baada ya kumaliza kazi yake ya kushuhudia mikataba hakufuatilia kilichoendelea.
Hii ni mara ya kwanza Mkapa kutajwa katika sakata la kampuni ya Kagoda Agriculture Limited, lakini ni mara nyingi Rostam amehusishwa na ukwapuaji huo ndani ya BoT.
Hata hivyo, haijathibitishwa iwapo kweli kulikuwa na kikao kinachomtaja Mkapa akiamuru gavana Ballali kutoa fedha kwa Rostam, kwani kauli ya Sanze inatokana maelezo ya Malegesi na Rostam Aziz; ama ukiwa ukweli au njia ya kumshawishi Sanze kushuhudia mikataba ya Kagoda.
Kwa miezi 15 sasa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) kimekuwa kikikana kushiriki au kutumia fedha zilizotokana na wizi uliofanywa na Kagoda ingawa kimeshindwa pia kuthibitisha kilipopata mabilioni ya shilingi kugharamia kampeni zake ghali za uchaguzi mkuu wa 2005.
Katibu Mkuu Yusuph Makamba na Katibu Mwenezi John Chiligati wamekana chama chao kutumia fedha za EPA katika uchaguzi mkuu wa 2005. Wamesema kama kuna aliyechukua fedha hizo, basi hakutumwa na chama chao bali ni kwa matumizi yake binafsi.
MwanaHALISI liliwasiliana na wakili Sanze kupitia simu yake ya mkononi, likitaka kujua undani wa andishi lake. Sanze alimwambia mwandishi wa habari hizi, Siwezi kujibu swali hilo.
Alipoulizwa kwa nini aliitwa na Malegesi kushuhudia mikataba wakati yeye Malegesi alikuwepo alisema, Hilo muulize Malegesi mwenyewe.
Kuhusu kampuni yake kupata mgao na kuchangia CCM na kama kuna risiti inaonyesha walitoa mchango huo, Sanze alisema kwa ufupi, Sijui lolote. Niambie wewe. Sijui zilitoka mwaka gani.
Aliponganganizwa kuhusu kuchangia CCM alijibu, Nikuulize wewe kama zilitoka lini.
Wakati wote simu ya Malegesi ilijibu kuwa haipatikani. Simu ya Rostam Aziz ilijibu pia kuwa hapatikani lakini ujumbe ulioandikwa na kumwomba awasiliane na mwandishi, ulionyesha kuwa umepokelewa. Hata hivyo, hadi tunakwenda mitamboni, Rostam hakuita.
Namba ya simu ya Mangula nayo ilisema kuwa hapatikani. Mwanasheria Mkuu wa serikali Johnson Mwanyika hakupatikana kuzungumzia andishi la Sanze.
Wiki iliyopita vyombo vya habari viliripoti kuwa 26 Januari mwaka huu, Malegesi alikula kitu kilichodaiwa kuwa sumu na kulazimika kulazwa hospitali ya Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.
Uvumi ulioenea jijini Dar es Salaam unasema inawezekana Malegesi amelishwa sumu kwa makusudi kwa kuwa ni mtu muhimu katika sakata la Kagoda linalogusa watu wengi na wa nyadhifa mbalimbali.
Ni miezi tisa sasa tangu Daudi Ballali aage dunia kutokana na kile kilichodaiwa kulishwa sumu huku akieleweka kuwa mtuhumiwa mkuu au shahidi muhimu katika wizi mkubwa ndani ya BoT.
Gazeti la Nipashe Jumapili, 8 Februari 2009 limeandika kuwa Malegesi alitumia siku 11 hospitalini Mikocheni akipata matibabu ya kuondolewa sumu anayodaiwa kuipata kwenye chakuka.
Muuguzi mmoja aliliambia gazeti hilo kwamba hawawezi kutoa taarifa yoyote juu ya aina ya sumu au lolote walilobaini katika vipimo bila ruhusa ya mgonjwa mwenyewe.
Kampuni ya Kagoda ilikwapua zaidi ya Sh. 40 bilioni kutoka akaunti ya EPA, ikiwa ni wiki moja baada yakusajiliwa. Kampuni ilitawanya fedha hizo katika matawi saba ya Benki ya CRDB jijini Dar es Salaam.
Ni takriban mwaka mmoja sasa tangu rais aunde Kamati ya watu watatu kuchunguza wizi katika akaunti ya EPA, ikiongozwa na Mwanasheria Mkuu wa serikali Johnson Mwanyika. Wengine ni Mkurugenzi wa TAKUKURU, Edward Hosea na Inspekta Jenerali wa Polisi Saidi Mwema.
Haijafahamika iwapo wote ambao Sanze ametaja kwenye andishi lake walihojiwa na Kamati. Lakini taarifa zilizopo zinasema rais mstaafu Mkapa na aliyekuwa Katibu Mkuu wa CCM, Philip Mangula, hawajawahi kuhojiwa.
Mwishoni mwa mwaka jana, waandishi wa habari walimuuliza Waziri Mkuu Mizengo Pinda iwapo serikali inaogopa kukamata na kushitaki wahusika katika Kagoda; lakini alijibu kuwa, Wahusika wote watafikishwa mahakamani.
Kutoka ThisDay:
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
BANK of Tanzania (BoT) Director of Strategic Planning and Performance Review Peter Noni, told a Dar es Salaam court yesterday that former central bank governor Daudi Ballali (now deceased) gave final approval and authorization for each payment made from the external payment arrears (EPA) account.
Noni, who is testifying as a prosecution witness against three former BoT officials and a private businessman in one of the ongoing EPA trials at the Kisutu Resident Magistrates Court, endeavoured to explain the entire process through which funds were released from the key BoT account.
Having previously held the post of BoT director of economic policy, Noni is one of the key central bank officials familiar with the workings of the EPA account.
During cross-examination by three defence attorneys, he said the late Ballali had the final word on who should be paid what from the account.
He said the former BoT chief personally approved all payments under a system where all applicants for EPA funds were required to channel their claims through the governor.
The ex-BoT officials on trial in the case are Ms Ester Mary Komu, Imani David Akim Mwakosya, and Bosco Ndimbo Kimola, with Noni testifying against them as their former boss.
Private businessman and ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) operative Rashid Shaban Maranda is being charged alongside them in the same case before Principal Resident Magistrates Addy Lyamuya, Ignas Kitusi, and John Utamwa.
The four accused persons are charged with conspiracy, fraud, theft of over 207m/-, and occasioning monetary loss to the government.
During the cross-examination by a team of defence lawyers comprising Majura Magafu, Makake Masatu and Mabere Marando, witness Noni also outlined the procedure used by BoT to settle debts from the EPA account.
He told the court that all applications for EPA funds passed through the governor, who in turn forwarded the documents to him as the then BoT director of economic policy, before the applications were sent to the bilateral and commercial debt department, which was headed by Imani Mwakosya. (Ballali kafa, Mwakosya mshitakiwa, Noni, shahidi - M.M)
Ms Komu, Mwakosya and Kimola were among several BoT officials involved in scrutinizing the applications, which were then forwarded to the office of the Secretary to the Bank, to verify the authenticity of the claims and make appropriate recommendations.
Noni testified that the applications were eventually returned to the governor for final approval, saying debt payments could not be made without the knowledge of the governor given the shortage of foreign exchange at the central bank at the time.
The witness told the court that he once advised Ballali to put in place a better procedure for claims to be channelled to the governor, but he (Ballali) appeared to prefer to stick to the procedure they were using.
In further cross-examination, Noni told the court that commercial debts were previously paid using four programmes, including conversion from bilateral debts to grants, which was introduced in the 1980s and used up to the 1990s.
Other programmes included the Paris Club Programme used from 1986 to 2003, the Debt Conversion Programme used from 1990 to 1993, and the Debt Pay Back Programme used from 1994 to 2004.
He said after 2004, no other formal programme was introduced to settle such debts.
My Take:
Kama huyu jamaa kweli ana chembe yoyote ya kile kinachoitwa Uadilifu, atakataa nafasi hii aliyoteuliwa hadi kesi ya EPA itakapokwisha na Rais ataacha huu mchezo wa kuinfluence the course of justice kwa kumteua mmoja wa washtakiwa katika nafasi kubwa ya kusimamia benki ambayo imepokea fedha zinazohusika katika mashtaka ambayo yeye (noni) ni shahidi.
This is a classic example of travesty of justice.
