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- Feb 11, 2007
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Dar may drop probe of late BoT governor
Some suspects intend to file a court injunction to stop the government from pursuing the investigations on the grounds that the first respondent has died.
MIKE MANDE reports
THE EAST AFRICAN
The Tanzania government is under pressure to drop investigations into the dealings of deposed Bank of Tanzania governor Daudi Timothy Said Balali following his death as other suspects implicated in the External Payment Arrears account (EPA) scam seek court injunctions against prosecution.
A high placed source told The EastAfrican in Dar es Salaam last week that key suspects in the multimillion-dollar central bank EPA scam have approached a Dar es Salaam law firm to file a court injunction to stop Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika from pursuing the investigations on the grounds that the first respondent has died.
The former central bank governor Daudi Balali, who died on May 16 after what was said to be short illness at his residence in Washington, D.C, was to be the first suspect if the government proceeded to take legal action against those involved.
With Balali gone, the government is said to be having second thoughts about continuing with the investigations against the former governor.
A statement made available to The EastAfrican from De Vol Funeral Home Registry in Washington said Balali died on May 16 and was expected to be interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Paula Rooks, business manager at Gate of Heaven, said the burial ceremony was to be preceded by a mass on May 23 at Saint Stephen Martyr Roman Catholic Church in Washington.
Already, more than 10 key suspects have been interrogated and have recorded statements at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, while others who are said to be on the run are being pursued.
However, Omega Ngolle, spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, told The EastAfrican that the task force would continue with its investigations despite Balali's death and present its report to the president as mandated.
Mr Ngolle said the task office has so far not released the names of the suspects who have been interrogated, which will only be revealed when the report is released to the public.
According to the ministry spokesperson, nobody has the power to stop investigations by the task force, which comprises legal experts, intelligence officers, anti-corruption officers and police officers.
The government last month issued an international prohibitory notice to stop the sale or transfer of properties bought by Tanzanian firms and individuals suspected to have taken money fraudulently from the EPA account of the central bank.
The notice, which applies to both foreign countries and internally where the properties are located, is supposed to pave the way for the government to confiscate the properties after a team of valuers completes evaluation procedures.
Tanzania has so far recovered more than $60 million out of the $133 million stolen from the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) via the EPA accounts.
Some suspects intend to file a court injunction to stop the government from pursuing the investigations on the grounds that the first respondent has died.
MIKE MANDE reports
THE EAST AFRICAN
The Tanzania government is under pressure to drop investigations into the dealings of deposed Bank of Tanzania governor Daudi Timothy Said Balali following his death as other suspects implicated in the External Payment Arrears account (EPA) scam seek court injunctions against prosecution.
A high placed source told The EastAfrican in Dar es Salaam last week that key suspects in the multimillion-dollar central bank EPA scam have approached a Dar es Salaam law firm to file a court injunction to stop Attorney General Johnson Mwanyika from pursuing the investigations on the grounds that the first respondent has died.
The former central bank governor Daudi Balali, who died on May 16 after what was said to be short illness at his residence in Washington, D.C, was to be the first suspect if the government proceeded to take legal action against those involved.
With Balali gone, the government is said to be having second thoughts about continuing with the investigations against the former governor.
A statement made available to The EastAfrican from De Vol Funeral Home Registry in Washington said Balali died on May 16 and was expected to be interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Paula Rooks, business manager at Gate of Heaven, said the burial ceremony was to be preceded by a mass on May 23 at Saint Stephen Martyr Roman Catholic Church in Washington.
Already, more than 10 key suspects have been interrogated and have recorded statements at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, while others who are said to be on the run are being pursued.
However, Omega Ngolle, spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, told The EastAfrican that the task force would continue with its investigations despite Balali's death and present its report to the president as mandated.
Mr Ngolle said the task office has so far not released the names of the suspects who have been interrogated, which will only be revealed when the report is released to the public.
According to the ministry spokesperson, nobody has the power to stop investigations by the task force, which comprises legal experts, intelligence officers, anti-corruption officers and police officers.
The government last month issued an international prohibitory notice to stop the sale or transfer of properties bought by Tanzanian firms and individuals suspected to have taken money fraudulently from the EPA account of the central bank.
The notice, which applies to both foreign countries and internally where the properties are located, is supposed to pave the way for the government to confiscate the properties after a team of valuers completes evaluation procedures.
Tanzania has so far recovered more than $60 million out of the $133 million stolen from the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) via the EPA accounts.
