Africa-Press – Tanzania. FATE of the 3.6bn/- economic trial facing former Chief Accountant with Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Geofrey Gugai, and three others may be known early next month.
Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba, who hears the case at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar-es-Salaam, is set to deliver the judgment on October 6, 2021 after going through the evidence produced by both prosecution and defence side.
During the trial, the prosecution led by Senior State Attorney Christopher Msigwa summoned 42 witnesses and tendered 48 exhibits, where the three accused persons led by Advocate Alex Mgongolwa gave their own evidence.
Gugai faces a charge of possession of property that mismatches his income, the offence which he committed between January 2005 and December 2015.
Gugai and three others are facing 43 charges, including 19 for forging property documents, 23 for embezzlement and one for possession of property valued at costs beyond legal income.
In his defence, Gugai has denied all 43 charges against him and asked the court to dismiss the allegations of forgery and possession of property more than his income. Apart from Gugai, the other accused persons in the case are George Makaranga, Leonard Mabai and Yasin Katera.
The accused were first arraigned in court on November 16, 2017 and were denied bail on charges of embezzlement.
The prosecution alleged that the accused purported to show that on different dates prior to the period of time he had sold such plots to Zena Mgallah, Saleh Asas, Arif Premji, Edith Mbatia, Manwal Masalakulangwa, Rose Abdallah and Patrick Magesa, while it was untrue.
Such plots, according to the prosecution, are situated at Mbweni JKT, Gomba Arumeru District, Ununio Kinondoni, Mwambani and Mwakidila Magaoni Tanga, Mwarongo Tanga, Bunju, Kaole Bagamoyo, Buyuni Temeke, Be Centre and Itega in Dodoma and Nyegezi Mwanza.
It is alleged also that within the same period and place, with intent to defraud, Gugai and Makaranga made false sale agreement showing that Gugai had sold a plot situated at Bunju in Kinondoni Municipality to Makaranga while it was not true.
The court was told further that within the same period and place,Gugai and Aloys forged four sale agreements for plots situated at Nyamhongolo, Bugarika, Biseke and Nyegezi in Mwanza, purportedly showing that Gugai had sold them to Aloys while it was false.
The prosecution side alleged that between January and June 2016 in the city, Gugai and Katera forged two sale agreements for certificate of occupancies for plots situated at Nyegezi in Mwanza showing that Gugai had sold them to Katera while it was untrue.
