Revealed: How `Men of God` traffic drugs

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By Rodgers Luhwago

19th June 2011

IGP Said Mwema: his squad has arrested three religious leaders in connection with drug trafficking.

They are well dressed, casting the demons, denouncing the devil and claiming to heal the sick in Jesus' name. Their numbers have been growing rapidly as schools are changed into churches, discotheque halls become worship houses in a bid to spread the gospel according to Jesus Christ, the author and the finisher of the Christian faith.

To their congregation, they are more than worshipped thanks to their preaching techniques that have inspired many to abandon their traditional churches to join the new revival movement.

Their gospel is a gospel of prosperity and divine healing. In most of these churches, poverty is a curse, and getting sick is the work of the devil. Economic prosperity, no matter how one acquired that wealth, is commanded blessing, and millions have joined them in Tanzania.

Some of these preachers drive highly expensive cars, own mansions and their bank accounts grow fat everyday, sending a message that gone are the days when men of God used to live a humbled life, the very same way Jesus Christ did about 2000 years ago.

From Lagos, Nigeria, a country believed to be the mother of newly and rapidly spreading gospel of material prosperity, to Dar es Salaam, the church has been growing rapidly.

But behind the scenes, some men of God have been using this opportunity to traffic drugs into the country for years, before some of them were busted a few days ago.

Currently, according to a report which was also confirmed by the Police, three bishops are in custody after they were found with drugs worth millions of shillings.

But since the investigation is still going on, The Guardian on Sunday can't name the three bishops arrested by the Anti-Drug Force Unit recently in Dar es Salaam.

According to details gathered by The Guardian on Sunday, some religious leaders (not all of them) have made quick fortunes that don't match with earnings through offerings, tithes and donations, a situation that raised an alarm within the law enforcers.

After selling drugs to various suppliers outside and inside the country, the billions are paid through bank accounts as religious donations or charity funding from abroad.

But when the source of funds is traced by the law enforcers, the alleged charities or religious donors are nowhere to be found or those found deny funding or wiring millions of dollars to Tanzania.

A few years ago, the Bank of Tanzania froze about $10 million, which was money wired from Cyprus to a religious organization in Tanzania, but when the recipient was requested to provide supporting documents, he disappeared.

How they trade
The journey starts with a bishop or evangelist writing to a foreign country's denomination, requesting to conduct an evangelical crusade or seminar. After being given a nod to organize the crusade or seminar, the evangelist or bishop, uses his invitation letter for Visa application, according to disclosures by those arrested to the Police.

After obtaining a visa, he or she then travels to a host country, conducts a crusade or seminar, but at the end, the evangelist returns to Tanzania with drugs using diplomatic bags.

According to the Police, in some cases, the evangelist would claim that during his or her trip abroad he was given a donation of religious books and other related items, and finally acquires a container for ferrying in one's donation.

But, inside the container, the very same evangelists are alleged to hide cocaine and heroine worth millions of shillings. It's understood that religious items are not taxable.

For instance one of those arrested is allegedly to have used the statues of the Virgin Mary to smuggle cocaine into the country early this year.
"Imagine someone who claims to be a Man of God using the statue of virgin Mary to smuggle cocaine…where are we heading as a nation?" a source close to the investigators currently interrogating the arrested God's servants told The Guardian on Sunday.

The source who spoke under conditions of strict anonymity citing the sensitivity of the matter added, "Some of them have wealth which they can't justify but if you look at the conditions of their churches, they are still using discotheques or hired halls to preach while they have billions."

Taking the advantage of the respect they command within the circle of society as well as government, previously nobody could suspect some ‘men of God' to be involved in drug trafficking.

Reached for comment, Head of the Anti-Drugs Unit, Godfrey Nzowa, said as far as his memory was concerned, were two religious leaders being arrested by his squad for drug trafficking.

"I am not in the office but my memory tells me that two spiritual leaders have been arrested in connection with drug trafficking, including a Nigerian religious leader who recently admitted to be conducting services at Biafra area in Kinondoni," he said.

According to Nzowa, the spiritual leaders normally ask the source countries for permission to attend seminars or certain training on their own expenses. He said such a strategy enables them to get invitation letters from the source countries, which they then use to apply for visas from the respective countries' embassies in Dar es Salaam.

Giving an example, Nzowa said one of the arrested spiritual leaders used the same strategy to travel to a source country with a delegation of ten people and upon coming back they were arrested with 81 kilogrammes of cocaine. The religious leader, according to Nzowa, paid Sh 1 million for each of the ten visas.

So far none of those arrested have been charged before the court of law. Police say they are still investigating more suspects believed to be using similar methods to traffic into the country.

The arrest comes just a few days after top Christian religious leaders gave a 48-hour ultimatum to President Kikwete to name those he accused of drug trafficking or else they would name all corrupt leaders within his government.

According to well placed sources within the Tanzania Police, the Anti-Drug Force Unit is currently investigating more religious leaders suspected to be dealing with drug trafficking business in Dar es Salaam and elsewhere around the country.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
 
Mbona hamna kitu hapo habari yote hiyo inaongea ngonjera tu? huyu Nigerian walishamsema siku nyingi mbona hakuna jipya hapo sasa? hadithi haina kitu ndani yake kabisa, wamendika yanini kama hawana habari na majina mapya!
 
Hapa hawaongelewi viongozi wa dini, ni matapeli wanaotumia mgongo wa dini, Jk hasafishiki kwa kauli yake
 
N g'wanganwa says: Moslem IGP arresting Christian religious activists.

  • I say: the most stupid droll from an illiterate that I have ever come across.
 
So was there a need to talk about it during the religious celebration?

To advise one to think of self-gain is such waste, O heedless of chance or of time, make haste!
 
By Rodgers Luhwago


They are well dressed, casting the demons, denouncing the devil and claiming to heal the sick in Jesus’ name. Their numbers have been growing rapidly as schools are changed into churches, discotheque halls become worship houses in a bid to spread the gospel according to Jesus Christ, the author and the finisher of the Christian faith.


Mathew 8
[SUP]21[/SUP] “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [SUP]22[/SUP] Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ [SUP]23[/SUP] And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The words of Jesus himself, the one they purport to preach about.

But since the investigation is still going on, The Guardian on Sunday can’t name the three bishops arrested by the Anti-Drug Force Unit recently in Dar es Salaam.


Tanzanian media weakness, these if found guilty are the sources of a huge humanity apocalypse in the country, if you can name the alleged rapist why not these?

The arrest comes just a few days after top Christian religious leaders gave a 48-hour ultimatum to President Kikwete to name those he accused of drug trafficking or else they would name all corrupt leaders within his government.


Still no names? any way we opt on plan B.

 
Any stupid gamba can put up such obvious fake stories. If drug dealing is that simple techniks do we realy need that foolish department which confiscate drugs and sell them to our people
 
Hao hawakuwepo wakati wa JK Nyerere; After Mwinyi kuruhusu freedom of the freedom of religions

Kukawa na Born Again Christians of all kinds; na Waislamu wa Siasa kali... Hatukuwa chuja...

The greatness of every mighty organization embodying an idea in this world lies in the religious fanaticism and intolerance with which, fanatically convinced of its own right, it intolerantly imposes its will against all others ...
 
Are U serious, the one reporting this gossips?
Unless U mention the names of those drag dealers, U'r still kicking the wind.
Stop calling those unknown 'bishops' as U faille even to name there denomination.
.
 
For sure we have devious Journalists in This country of Lunatic Politicians and Decision makers!
What does this piece of story tells us?! There is nothing but wastage! There is no news here at all, if they can't mention those fake Bishop names why do they call them Bishops?! If they can smuggle the trick from schedule A to Z of these people as the story tells the whole move, why still call them Bishops instead of Drug dealers?
Are they Bishops for sure in accordance to this story or are they Drug dealers!? Was Osama a Terrorist or a Muslim Leader! Total confusion to the society, all Journalists in Tanzania but one has turned to be purports of this shit Political system!?

Why inform premature news if you are not ready to inform the society of any news behind the story, still coming with the name of one Nigerian since then and then!

This is nothing but to connect the scenerios and confuse society on the issue where one provocative Politician was required to mension and prove the names of Tanzania Bishops who are drug dealers after talking nonsense in one of the Church activities, so as the days are numbered without any evidence his system is thrilling on the matter! if he did not have any thing to announce before the Bishops he could have kept quite, not to talk anything without being well informed, this also will cost not himself but his party also.
 
Hapa hawaongelewi viongozi wa dini, ni matapeli wanaotumia mgongo wa dini, Jk hasafishiki kwa kauli yake

ni kweli hawa ni matepaeli wanaotumia dini... lakini nani wa kuwakemea kama sio viongozi wa kidini kwanza??? siku hizi makanisa yanafunguliwa kama vibanda vya mama ntilie, i think it is a high time for the true church leaders to stand and refuse to be used as an umbrella of evil deeds

Siku hizi wanasema ukishindwa biashara, fungua kanisa... this is an inlust to christianity na ndio mmonyoko wa imani unapokuja kuongezeka
 
The question to ponder is the cowardliness of our Go leaders! This could be happening due to being unclean in front of the society hence the difficult to book culprits committing same offenses they also does!
 
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