Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped the trial against a taxi driver, Mousa Twaleb, who was charged alongside five foreigners, for taking hostage a billionaire and industrialist, Mohamed Dewji, alias MO.
At the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, yesterday, State Attorney Ester Martin told Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi that the DPP has decided to withdraw the case after entering a nolle prosequi certificate in favour of the driver, stating that he would no longer prosecute him on the criminal charges he was facing.
The magistrate endorsed the DPP’s decision, which entered the certificate in question under section 91 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) and set free the driver.
However, the provision relied upon by the DPP to withdraw the matter does not bar him from re-arresting the accused and charging him afresh. Foreigners, who were charged in the case alongside the Tanzania Driver are Phila Tshabalala, alias Mr Phila, a South African and Henrique Alberto Simbine, Daniel Bernardo Manchice, Isaac Jaime Tomo and Zacarious Obasando Junior, who are all Mozambique nationals.
It was alleged that on diverse dates between May 1 and October 10, 2018 at various places within the City of Dar es Salaam within the United Republic of Tanzania and Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa, the accused furnished assistance in the conduct of affairs of a criminal racket.
The prosecution alleged by the prosecution that the accused had the intent of either to reap profit or other benefit from such act. The court heard that on October 11, 2018 at Colosseum Hotel areas within Kinondoni Municipality, jointly and together with other people not in court, the accused kidnapped MO.
According to the prosecution, the accused committed such an offence with intent to cause the prominent businessman to be secretly and wrongfully confined. Twaleb was charged alone with offence of money laundering, which is alleged to have been committed on July 10, 2018 at Mbezi Beach area.
It was alleged that the accused acquired 8m/-, while at the time of receipt he knew that the money was the proceeds of a predicate offence of participating in an organized group and racketeering.
The police are in records as announcing that MO, the 17th richest and youngest billionaire in Africa, was abducted by the unknown armed people as he attended a fitness session at the Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club in Dar es Salaam.
