The Radar Scandal: Investigation & Progress

[Major]

nilikuwa ktk safari zangu za kiujasiriamali nikapitia south africa basi pale air port ya south upande wa kaskazini mwa uwanja nikaziona ndege zetu mbili zimepaki lakini mkao wake umekaa kihasarahasara sana basi nikamuuliza jamaa mmja mshikaji tu wa pale uwanjani,vipi hizi ndege za tanzania zinafanya nini hapa jamaa akaniambia zinadaiwa parking na sasa zinamaliza mwaka ziko pale je kuna mwana jf yeyote anayejua uweli kuhusu jambo hili anifumbue kidogo

 

[Pundamilia07]

There is an issue on hand lakini naona wachangiaji wanaikwepa kuijadili kwa vile hawajui wajadili nini. Matokeo yake tunaanza kutafuta mchawi, kula mmoja wetu Chenge, Chenge, Chenge!!!

Kama ambavyo mchangiaji mmoja alivyoeleza, ni muhimu tukapata habari za uhakika kutoka kwa Uongozi wa ATC wenyewe kwani hili suala si la binafsi, ni suala linaloshughulikiwa na vyombo husika vya umma kwa kufuata taratibu zilizopo. Ni vyema tukataka maelezo kutoka kwa wahusika yaani ATC na kama kuna ulazima basi maulizo yanaweza kufika hadi Wizara ya MiundoMbinu.

Mzee Mwanakijiji mimi nina uhakika David ndiye anayetakiwa kueleza nini kinaendelea na hatua zilizokwishafikiwa. Urafiki au undugu wenu weka kando mbane David aeleze ukweli.

Mbali ya yote, biashara ya Ndege ni biashara nyeti na ngumu popote pale Duniani. ATC kwa sasa hivi ina tatizo kubwa la kiuongozi, na hii nilikwishaeleza katika moja ya michango yangu katika threads zinazoihusu ATC. Niliwahi kueleza kuwa huenda pia Mh. Rais alishauriwa vibaya juu ya uteuzi wa Afisa Mtendaji Mkuu wa ATC Bw. David Mattaka. Nilitoa ushauri kuwa ni vema serikali katika kipindi hiki cha mpito cha ATC wakakodisha Aviation Management at least kwa kipindi cha miaka miwili na wakati huo huo wakaajiri vijana ambao watafanya kazi sambamba na hao wataalam wa kukodi. Hii ni njia rahisi kabisa ya kuhamisha maarifa kutoka katika hali ya aviation ilivyo leo. Kama nilivyoeleza kuwa Biashara ya Ndege ni nyeti na ngumu haihitaji ubabaishaji wa aina yeyote kama ambavyo hali ilivyo sasa hivi kwa ATC. Ukweli ni kwamba sidhani kama serikali ipo tayari kupoteza pesa za wananchi katika mazingira yasiyoeleweka kama ambavyo wanafanya viongozi wa ATC. Namna ATC inavyoendeshwa hailingani na dhamira ya serikali inavyotaka kuliendesha shirika hilo.
Bado ninaendelea kutoa ushauri wangu kuwa jitihada zifanyike haraka iwezekanavyo kukodisha menejimenti itakayo endesha shirika kwa muda na kuhamisha maarifa kwa wazalendo. Siungi mkono hatua za serikali kuipatia ATC fedha za kujiendesha kwa sasa hivi chini ya uongozi uliopo.

 

[Nyerererist]

""CHENGE"" sauti ya watu ni sauti ya umma,, hata kama tutamlaum David itakua kazi bure maana mara nyingi wanasiasa ndio wanao force mambo ukute jamaa hajui hata deal ikoje ye kaambiwa apige sign (Bangusilo).....anyway kazi ipo ngumu mbele yetu

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Mzee Mwanakijiji mimi nina uhakika David ndiye anayetakiwa kueleza nini kinaendelea na hatua zilizokwishafikiwa. Urafiki au undugu wenu weka kando mbane David aeleze ukweli.

Hoja yako ilikuwa tamu lakini isingeweza kusimama yenyewe hadi uweke mambo ya kijinga ili kuilazimisha.

 

[Pundamilia07]

Hoja yako ilikuwa tamu lakini isingeweza kusimama yenyewe hadi uweke mambo ya kijinga ili kuilazimisha.

Kuwa mvumilivu Mzee Mwanakijiji, najua nimemgusa mtu wako na ndiyo maana unadiriki kutoa maneno kama hayo. Usilazimishe mjadala huu umzungumzie Chenge na kumuacha jamaa yako David Mattaka ambaye ndiye anayetakiwa kutoa maelezo ya wapi mambo yamefikia. Sina tatizo na David Mattaka isipokuwa nina tatizo naye kutokana na kutokuwa na uwezo wa kuiongoza ATC ya sasa na ya kesho. Kumbuka kila sekunde moja inayopita ATC ndiyo inazidi kukabiliwa na hali ngumu ya kiuendeshaji ambayo inagharimu fedha za walipa kodi.

 

[Njowepo]

Chenge ni mzee wa vimeo toka enzi,so na ichi anaisi ni kimeo ila sasa vugu vugu lilopo la mafisadi naona ameona kwanza anyuti then asikilizie upepo.

Unaweza kuta anataka apply the so called "think twice before committing uaself to anythin"

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Nasikia hatimaye serikali imetoa udhamini... baada ya kupoteza karibu dola 120,000 kwa adhabu!

 

[Fundi Mchundo]

Nasikia hatimaye serikali imetoa udhamini... baada ya kupoteza karibu dola 120,000 kwa adhabu!

Waulizwe kwa nini walichelewa kutoa udhamini na nini kilichowafanya kubadili nia!

 

[Mwafrika wa Kike]

Hivi kati ya Chenge na Rostam ni nani yawezekana kuwa ndio chanzo kikubwa cha matatizo yetu?

Wote ni sawa ingawa chenge ameanza siku nyingi sana!

 

[BAK]

Serikali iwaombe viongozi wa Switzerland wamrudishe huyu fisadi haraka sana.

Radar fugitive Vithlani `hiding` in Switzerland

-British detectives back in town to help with investigations

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

FUGITIVE businessman Shailesh Pragji Vithlani, who was slapped with an arrest warrant by a Dar es Salaam court last November over the 28 million pounds sterling (approx. 70bn/-) military radar corruption deal, is now reported to be hiding in Switzerland, THISDAY can reveal today.

Vithlani was on November 1 last year charged with multiple counts of perjury and lying to an investigating officer at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, which subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest.

Since then, the case has been dragging in court as authorities say they are unaware of Vithlani’s whereabouts.

However, latest reports from Switzerland say the businessman has been holed up in that country for some time now.

The Mwanza-born Vithlani is understood to own no major assets in Tanzania, but holds a British passport and also maintains several homes in the United Kingdom.

Well-placed sources say detectives from Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) arrived in Dar es Salaam last week on yet another visit aimed at assisting local investigations into the radar corruption scandal.

SFO investigations have already established that Britain’s biggest defence manufacturer, BAE Systems, paid a $12m (15bn/-) commission into a Swiss bank account controlled by Vithlani to land the 2002 deal for a radar system in Tanzania.

Vithlani, the local middleman for the deal, admitted to a UK newspaper that BAE Systems had covertly paid him the money, equivalent to about 30 per cent of the total value of the contract.

The investigations have already led to both Vithlani and his former local business associate, Tanil Somaiya of Shivacom Group of companies, being interviewed by SFO detectives right here in Dar es Salaam.

It is understood that BAE Systems paid the $12m commission to Merlin International Limited, a Dar es Salaam-based firm jointly formed by Vithlani and Somaiya.

A BAE-owned offshore company, Red Diamond, paid the commission into a bank account in Switzerland under Vithlani’s personal control.

According to experts, a commission of one per cent in international arms deals is generally regarded as legitimate.

But sources allege that thereafter, Vithlani made secret payments from the Swiss bank account to various officials in the government of then president Benjamin Mkapa ? in the form of illegal kickbacks - to approve the dubious deal.

The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) has been waiting for the SFO investigation to wrap up so that it can institute its own corruption charges in relation to the radar deal, the sources say.

Apart from the radar scandal, Vithlani and his local business partners have also been linked to other dubious deals in Tanzania, including the supply of military trucks and helicopters.

Britain’s former international development minister, Ms Clare Short, was one of the fiercest critics of the radar deal, saying she found it remarkable for the Tanzanian government to opt for an expensive technology it does not need.

But the then-president Mkapa vehemently defended the deal, insisting that Tanzania needed the new radar to replace obsolete technology, and arguing that he could not leave air safety ’’in the hands of God’’.

 

[Mwiba]

Unajua ukisubiri unaona muda umekwenda mwingi hivyo nimeliona jibu ila CCM wambieni sasa nyimbo ni Katiba tu,hakuna uchaguzi 2010 kama hakuna katiba mpya ,wacha miaka iongezwe lakini Katiba ndio itakayoweza kupambana na mafisadi ,Mkuu hapo unaweza kuzima mitambo sio mbaya ila ujumbe umefika kwamba Vyama vya upinzani upeleke majeshi kwenye KATIBA mambo ya kusema Raisi analindwa na sheria yafikishwe mwisho ,kama si hivyo basi waliokuwa hawajui kama raisi analindwa na kijipnde cha maneno mawili matatu katika Katiba nao wataanza kumega na sio kutafuna.Mkapa alitafuna lakini dalili za Kikwete na masafari yasiyokwisha inaonyesha huyu atamega kabisa.

 

[Keil]

Je, JK atamuweza?

Minister in graft probe

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

A SENIOR cabinet minister is under corruption investigations over his involvement in dubious deals dating back to former president Benjamin Mkapa’s administration, it has been revealed.

The minister (name withheld for now), who held a high-level position in Mkapa’s government from 1995 to 2005, currently serves in President Jakaya Kikwete’s cabinet.

It is understood that he is under probe over corruption allegations stemming from his involvement in a multi-million dollar deal that has been the subject of parallel local and international graft investigations.

Well-placed sources say a special anti-corruption task force has been formed to investigate serious allegations of high-level corruption against the public official.

Members of the government anti-graft team have already grilled the minister over the allegations.

’’The minister’s office and house have also been searched and several key documents confiscated,’’ a government source told THISDAY.

The government’s anti-graft task team comprises ’’carefully selected’’ members from a number of key law enforcement agencies, according to several independent sources.

The senior minister surprised many people by surviving the recent cabinet reshuffle, despite being heavily criticised for his alleged involvement in a number of dubious government contracts during the Mkapa administration.

He is now said to be targeted by both local and international detectives over the particular corruption probe.

The former government bureaucrat-turned politician is believed to have directly taken part in graft by allegedly receiving a hefty bribe to approve a controversial deal between the government and a private company almost a decade ago.

Government officials say the ongoing investigation against the cabinet minister is part of President Kikwete’s resolve to fight high-level corruption.

Since Kikwete came into office, he has won plaudits both here at home and abroad for stepping up the fight against corruption.

’’The recent purge on the Bank of Tanzania’s external payment arrears account (EPA) and Richmond corruption scandal are some of the clear indications of this government’s seriousness to tackle high-level corruption,’’said another source who declined to be named.

Source: ThisDay

 

[Steve Dii]

Ile hali ya kujiona wako 'off the hook' wahusika waliosababisha Tanzania kununua rada katika bei ya ulanguzi kutoka BAE imeingia mkenge. Ninahisi walianza kujiona wanasababu kubwa ya kupinga au kukwepa uchunguzi kwa hapa Bongo kutokana na kuporomoka kwa kesi kama hiyo hiyo huko Uingereza. Kesi hiyo inayohusisha Saudi Royal Family na BAE iliyositishwa ghafla mwaka jana na Waziri mkuu wa wakati huo akishirikiana na AG wao .

Kwa kuwa kesi hiyo ni ya kimataifa, ukweli ni kwamba akina Vithlan na wenzake kwa jinsi nionavyo wangeweza kabisa kutumia mfano huo na sababu hizo hizo kwa hiyo kesi kusitishwa pia Tanzania. SFO kutoka Uingereza walishakuja hapa kufatilia swala hili. Lakini nguvu ziliwaishia pale kesi inayofanana na hiyo iliposimamishwa. Jambo la kusimamisha kesi lilipotokea Marekani nao na kitengo chao cha kushughulikia kesi kama hizi kilikuja juu sana kupinga uamuzi huo.

Lakini leo hii kutokana na habari hii chini, nina uhakika 'chupi' zinawabana wahusika wote katika swala hili la kuiingiza Tanzania mkenge. Nionavyo kesi itabidi ifunguliwe. Soma zaidi hapa......

SFO unlawful in ending BAE probe


The High Court has ruled that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) acted unlawfully by dropping a corruption inquiry into a £43bn Saudi arms deal.

Defence firm BAE was accused of making illegal payments to Saudi officials to secure contracts, but the firm maintains that it acted lawfully.

The SFO said national security would have been undermined by the inquiry.
Two judges allowed the challenge made by Corner House and the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).

'Failure of government'

In handing down the decision on Thursday, one of the judges, Lord Justice Moses, told the High Court that the director of the SFO had failed to assure them that everything had been done to meet the rule of law.

"No one, whether within this country or outside, is entitled to interfere with the course of our justice," he said.

"It is the failure of government and the defendant to bear that essential principle in mind that justifies the intervention of this court."

CAAT had argued that the SFO's decision to drop the probe was illegal under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD's) Anti-Bribery Convention.

"We are delighted." said CAAT's Symon Hill after the decision.
"It has been clear from the start that the dropping of the investigation was about neither national security nor jobs. It was due to the influence of BAE and Saudi princes over the UK government."

Susan Hawley of the Corner House said: "This is a great day for British justice. The judges have stood up for the right of independent prosecutors not to be subjected to political pressure."

Following the judgement, BAE said: "The case was between two campaign groups and the director of the SFO. It concerned the legality of a decision made by the director of the SFO.

"BAE Systems played no part in that decision."
For its part, the Serious Fraud Office said it had no further comment, but was "carefully" considering the implications of the judgement.

'Damage'

In December 2006, the then Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, announced that the SFO was suspending its inquiry.

Lord Goldsmith said its continuation would have caused "serious damage" to UK-Saudi relations and, in turn, threatened national security.

Saudi Arabia is reported to have threatened to cancel a further deal with BAE to supply it with Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and withdraw diplomatic co-operation unless the SFO investigation was stopped.

BAE argued it would "jeopardise" the multi-billion pound Typhoon deal and "seriously affect" relations with the Saudi kingdom.

The OECD said last month that it was launching its own investigation into the decision to drop the SFO inquiry.
The judges in London did not rule that the case would be reopened, but have said they would listen to further arguments.

Source: BBC

SteveD.

 

[BAK]

Minister`s bank accounts frozen-Suspected of corrupt involvement in radar and other deals

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

AUTHORITIES have blocked access to a number of local and international bank accounts held by a senior cabinet minister currently under corruption investigations over various dubious government contracts sealed during the third phase government, it has now been learnt.

Informed sources say the minister, whom we shall not name today, is alleged to have received millions of US dollars in bribes from controversial transactions including the 2002 military radar and air traffic control system deal.

According to the sources, the minister’s personal bank accounts along with the accounts of some close family members - including his children - have all been frozen as the investigations continue.

’’The minister has been blocked access to his bank accounts within Tanzania and also abroad - which is where most of the money is believed to have been stashed away,’’ a source close to the ongoing investigations told THISDAY.

It has also been revealed that the minister was just about a fortnight ago subjected to searches of his office and residence in Dar es Salaam by local detectives working with counterparts from Britain.

Our sources further say the politician, who is a professional lawyer, reportedly tried to stop the detectives from searching him on the grounds that he is a senior public official � but was told that the orders to investigate him were endorsed by the ’’highest office in the land.’’

Insiders say British detectives investigating the 28 million pounds sterling (approx. 70bn/-) radar scandal have traced some of the $12m (approx. 15bn/-) illegal kickbacks paid to fugitive businessman Shailesh Vithlani to a personal bank account owned by the minister abroad.

Britain’s leading defence manufacturer BAE Systems (which made the controversial radar system in question) is understood to have secretly paid the $12m to Vithlani’s own Swiss bank account. The money is alleged to have been used to pay what amounted to bribes to senior Tanzanian public officials to approve the radar deal in 2002.

The minister now said to be under increasingly-intense investigation, held a high-level position in the third phase government of ex-president Benjamin Mkapa from 1995 to 2005, and is currently also serving as a senior cabinet member in President Jakaya Kikwete’s fourth phase administration.

He is believed to have played a key role in a number of controversial government contracts in various key sectors (including energy and minerals, to name but two) during the Mkapa administration.

But contrary to widespread public expectations, he somehow managed to survive the comprehensive cabinet reshuffle conducted by President Kikwete back in February.

Both Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) in Tanzania have been investigating the radar deal, with British detectives frequently flying to the country to link up with their local counterparts in questioning some suspects.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Britain’s High Court yesterday overturned a UK government decision to drop an investigation into alleged bribery and corruption in a major deal between arms maker BAE Systems and the Saudi Arabian government.

The SFO in December 2006 abandoned the inquiry into the 1985 BAE deal worth 43 billion pounds ($85bn) to provide Riyadh with fighter jets and other military equipment. The then UK attorney general Lord Peter Goldsmith, as the government’s principal legal advisor, announced that the probe into the arms company was to be discontinued, saying pursuing the investigation could damage British foreign policy objectives in the Middle East.

The then British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, said at the time that pursuing the probe into the Al-Yamamah deal could threaten intelligence links with Saudi Arabia at a crucial point in the ’’war on terror’’.

But two judges ruled yesterday that SFO director Robert Wardle ’’was required to satisfy the court that all that could reasonably be done had been done to resist the threat�and he has failed to do so.’’

One of the judges, Alan Moses, said in the High Court: ’’No one, whether within this country or outside, is entitled to interfere with the course of our justice.’’

The legal challenge was brought by anti-bribery pressure group Corner House Research and the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which argued that the decision to drop the probe was taken for commercial reasons, and not on the grounds of national security.

Susan Hawley of Corner House hailed yesterday’s High Court decision as ’’a great day for British justice.’’

’’The judges have stood up for the right of independent prosecutors not to be subjected to political pressure, and they have made sure that the government cannot use national security arrangements just because a prosecution is not in their interests,’’ she said.

Symon Hill, of CAAT, said: ’’It has been clear from the start that the dropping of the investigation was about neither national security nor jobs. It was due to the influence of BAE and Saudi princes over the UK government.’’

But commentators said yesterday’s decision does not automatically mean that the investigation will resume.

The SFO said in a statement it was ’’carefully considering the implications of the judgment and the way forward,’’ but made no further comment.

BAE Systems simply said: ’’The case was between two campaign groups and the director of the SFO. It concerned the legality of a decision made by the director of the SFO. BAE Systems played no part in that decision.’’

 

[Pundit]

Kama hizi ripoti ni kweli basi nitamuona Kikwete mpumbavu kwa kumrudisha Chenge halafu kutaka kumfanyia.Lakini labda si kweli kwamba "ametaka" kumfanyia, labda kama kawaida yake Kikwete anakuwa a reactionary president anayefanya vitu pale anapolazimika tu.

My reading is that this thinly veiled person is none other than Andrew Chenge (current minister, lawyer, was in cabinet in 2002, central to the deal, who else but the former AG?).

 

[Bongolander]

I was hoping that this man is ex minister. If he is still serving, it would also be good to know something about Mr ex minister! Tuombe mungu tu hili lisiwe changa la macho!

 

[Invisible]

I knew it... Nice move. Wapo wengi wanaotakiwa kufanyiwa hii kitu ili kulinusuru taifa.

Bado sana; au huyu amekuwa bangusilo???

 

[Steve Dii]

......Soon heads will roll !!

 

[Mpita Njia]

I am afraid that the wapelelezi wanaweza kuwa wanapoteza muda wao bure kwani serikali imeshasema kuwa inawaogopa mafisadi

 

[Mama]

Mr Clean and company kaeni mkao wa kula, twaja kwenu soon. Labda hizo mali mzitoe kwa yatima na wakfu kuvuruga ushahidi...mkiwapa wajukuu zenu haitasaidia kwani twawajua