Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court on Friday acquitted the former Chief Accountant with the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Geofrey Gugai and other three accused persons who were facing 43 economic charges, for insufficient evidence.
The Principal Resident Magistrate, Mr Thomas Simba, set free Gugai and his co-accused after finding out that the Prosecution had failed to prove the charges against them.
The magistrate said that in the 43 charges there were those relating to acquisition of undisclosed assets, forgery of documents and money laundering.
However, Magistrate Simba said that in the case of indiscriminate acquisition of property, the Republican failed to prove the illegitimacy of the ownership of the property owned by Gugai.
As for the forgery charges, Magistrate Simba said the Court has confirmed that the sale of the houses that were owned by Gugai is legitimate and not a forgery as it was done in front of lawyer Beatus Malima, so the Prosecution had a chance to bring the lawyer to prove it.
The magistrate said that if the charges of misappropriation of assets and forgery of documents were not proved, he could not have the power to convict the accused, even on the charges of extorting money beyond his control. Gugai and three others were facing 43 charges relating to forgery and possession of properties contrary to their income.
Gugai allegedly committed the offences between January 2005 and December 2015, something that the Court judged it was not the case.
The charges include 19 for forging property documents, 23 for embezzlement and one for possession of property in excess of legal income.
Apart from Gugai, the other accused persons in the case are George Makaranga, Leonard Mabai and Yasin Katera. The accused were first arraigned on November 16, 2017 and were denied bail on charges of embezzlement.
The Prosecution alleged that the accused purported to show that on different occasions 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, BeCentre and Itega in Dodoma and Nyegezi in Mwanza.
It was alleged also that within the same period and place, with intent to defraud, Gugai and Makaranga made one 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.
It is alleged by the Prosecution also 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.
On money laundering offences, the trial attorneys alleged that Gugai disguised the establishment of true ownership of the plots 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.
The accused now are cleared of all those counts.
For More News And Analysis About Tanzania Follow Africa-Press
