Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Biswalo Mganga has filed five charges against 13 people, who were involved in keeping people with disability and making them beggars on the streets for the former’s financial gains.
The culprits were exposed recently in various areas of Kinondoni District, in Dar es Salaam during an impromptu crackdown by the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for People with Disability Ms Ummy Nderiananga.
The deputy minister who was accompanied by the Kinondoni District Commissioner Daniel Chongolo found groups of people with disability being kept in three guest houses, namely Kolini, Madiba and Mbikomu all being properties of Sadikiel Metta.
“In the three guest houses, the deputy minister and the team found 23 people with disabilities, among them, eight were women, nine men and six children,” said DPP in the statement.
“These people were brought to Dar es Salaam from Shinyanga, Simiyu, Geita, Morogoro, Kagera and Tabora regions for them to be used in begging across the city,” he added.
The deputy minister urged the general public to support the efforts by revealing all people behind the illegal business, and that the government has formed policies and laws to ensure that the group is well protected and lives happily.
DPP said yesterday in a statement that, after going through the files submitted by the police, the suspects will now face five charges that include money laundering, human trafficking and failure to pay government tax.
Other charges are causing loss to the government authorities as well as involvement in organised crime.
According to the DPP, the charges are in reference to the Economic and Organised Crime control Act, Anti-Trafficking in Person Act 2008, Tax Administration Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
In a similar development, the DPP Mr Mganga has filed five charges against Arusha-based police officer Corporal Willium Alfred and his wife Dorcus Memruth, who were allegedly stealing electricity from Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO).
The two suspects were arrested earlier this month, following the raid conducted at their house by the Arusha District Commissioner Mr Kenan Kihongosi in the accompaniment of the law enforcers.
During the raid, the suspects were found to have tampered with the power line and illegally diverted electricity through a toilet room.
Speaking shortly after the inspection, Mr Kihongosi said such acts shouldn’t be condoned by public servants, and further called for an investigation on the issue before he appears in court.
The suspects were also found with 20 marijuana sticks, petrol and diesel in plastic containers and 1,011 packets of illicit brew “gongo’, empty bottles of Konyagi, 80 litters of Diesel, 20 rolls of Cannabis sativa alias Bhangi and five liters of locally made spirit ‘gongo’.
“The suspects are now going to face charges for interrupting the government on providing social service, contrary to the Economic and Organised Crime control Act,” said DPP in the statement.
Another charge is possession of Cannabis sativa, prohibited alcohol, tampering with the product’s barcode and being found with plastic bags that were banned from use in Tanzania.
