Africa-Press – Tanzania. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam has acquitted former Director of the Medical Store Department (MSD) Laurean Bwanakunu, after the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the indictment.
Also acquittedis former Logist Director, Byekwaso Tabura. Both were facing charges ofeconomic sabotage involving more than 3.8bn/-.
Principal Resident Magistrate, Kassian Matembele reached the decision after receiving a document from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) stating the Republic’s unwillingness to continue prosecuting charges they were facing.
Senior state attorneys, Wankyo Simon submitted the document to the court on behalf of the DPP stating that the charges against the accused had been dropped under Section91 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA).
Bwanakunu worked at MSD for five years before the former President Dr. John Magufuli revoked his appointment.
One month laterafter handing over the office, Bwanakunu and the former Acting Director of Logistics Byekwaso Tabura was arraigned in court on five counts including embezzlement of more than 1.6bn/- and occasioning MSD a loss of over 3.8bn/.
Bwanakunu, was also charged of abuse of power where he deliberately used his position to pay3.8bn/- to MSD employees as additional salaries and allowances without thepermission of the Permanent Secretary Public Service.
Bwanakunu and Tabura also faced charges of allowing poor storage of medical equipment which resulted in damage of equipment causing MSD a loss of 85.199m/-.
