Author: FAUSTINE KAPAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: FIVE people, including a senior customs officer with Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), appeared in a Dar es Salaam Court on Thursday charged with collecting tax of over 1.8bn/- without authority and interfering with properties owned by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).
They are Humphrey Lauwo, the TRA officer, Ahmed Khalifa, Abdulrazak Said and Anuary Amdani, all of whom are businessmen as well as Joseph Mwakabanga, an electrical technician.
The accused persons were arraigned before three magistrates in different court chambers at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.
Lauwo, who was charged with collecting tax without authorisation, appeared before Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi.
He denied the charge and was granted bail on condition of securing two sureties to sign a bond worth 40m/- each.
One of the sureties, according to the magistrate, was required to surrender in court a title deed of immovable property. Lauwo’s case was adjourned to September 9, 2020, for mention.
Senior State Attorney Wankyo Simon, for the prosecution, said investigations in the matter are not complete.
Khalfan and Said appeared before Principal Resident Magistrate Kassian Matembele to face a count of interfering with properties intended to be used for supplying necessary services, while Amdani and Mwakabanga faced a similar charge before Principal Resident Magistrate Richard Kabate.
The four were not allowed to enter a plea to the charges because their respective cases have been filed under the Economic and Organised Crime Control Act.
Magistrates in the two cases, however, granted bail to the accused persons on certain conditions. Khalfan and Said were bailed out on conditions of securing one surety each who were to sign a bond of 5m/-.
Each surety had to surrender in court an identification letter from his employer and submit their identity cards, that is, National Identity Card or Voter’s Registration Card.
The two were also restricted to leave the country without obtaining court permission.
On the part of Amdani and Mwakabanga, the magistrate bailed them upon meeting conditions, including securing two sureties each who were to sign bond of 500,000/- of the like sum and surrender their identity cards.
In the two cases, the prosecution led by Senior State Attorneys Mantenus Marandu and Wankyo Simon and State Attorney Benson Mwaitenda, informed the court that investigations were not complete and requested for another mention date. All the cases were adjourned to September 10, 2020, for mention.
The prosecution alleged that on July 2, 2020, being a senior customs officer employed by TRA in Dar es Salaam, Lauwo collected tax amounting to 1,803,323,055/-n in favour of Puma Energy Tanzania Limited by showing that the said amount was paid, an act which was not authorised by TRA.
It is alleged that on July 29, 2020 at Mikocheni, Ndovu Street in Kinondoni District, jointly and together, Khalfan and Said willfully and unlawfully interfered with the property intended to be used to supply necessary services.
The accused are alleged to have connected electricity for Tanesco electric system and bypassed the company’s meter, which is contrary to the law.
It is also alleged that on August 7, 2020 at Magomeni Mikumi Street in Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam, Amdani and Mwakabanga willfully and unlawfully interfered with the property intended to be used to supply necessary services.
According to the prosecution, the duo allegedly dismantled a meter, the property of Tanesco from a house owned by Amdani with a debt of 3,521,587/70, due to the state owned company and placed a new meter for the purpose of avoiding the pre-stated debt, which is contrary to the law.
