Author: FAUSTINE KAPAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE prosecution has completed the investigations into the kidnapping and money laundering trial against five foreigners and a Tanzanian, who are allegedly linked with taking hostage Tanzanian billionaire, and industrialist Mohamed Dewji, alias MO.
This was revealed yesterday at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam by State Attorney Faraji Nguka, for the prosecution, when the case came for mention before Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi.
The trial attorney informed the court that the original police case file has been taken to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for scrutiny and other directives. Under the circumstances, he requested the court to adjourn the case for mention, pending directives by the DPP on how to go about the matter.
But before adjournment of the trial, the Tanzanian accused, Mousa Hamis Twaleb, raised his concern on the position taken by the prosecution in handling his case, as what had been submitted by the trial attorney was not a new issue.
Twaleb, a driver, questioned how he was involved in the kidnapping of MO and to what extent he laundered some money and that he questioned why he is languishing in remand alone.
“Every day they (prosecution) say investigations are complete, but I am still in remand. They claim that I kidnapped MO and laundered money, but why am I alone in custody?” he queried.
In his response, the magistrate said he had no answers to the questions; maybe the prosecution could react to that.
On his part, the prosecutor explained that answers on how the accused laundered money could be found in the case file which is under scrutiny by the DPP. The magistrate, however, advised the accused to write to the DPP and question the whereabouts of others, who have not been arrested.
He adjourned the case to September 8, 2020 for another mention. Lawyers say that three things could happen when the prosecution’s case file is taken to the DPP. He may draw new charges for prosecution of accused persons depending on the presented evidence to him.
Furthermore, the DPP could either enter a nolle prosequi certificate in favour of the accused persons if the evidence brought before him was insufficient to mount their prosecution, or return the case file to the investigative machinery with directives of carrying out further investigations on some aspects.
The foreigners charged in the case alongside the Tanzanian 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.
The prosecution alleges that on diverse dates between May 1 and October 10, 2018 at various places within the City of Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa, knowingly, the accused furnished assistance in the conduct of affairs of a criminal racket.
It is 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 Collosseum Hotel areas within Kinondoni Municipality, jointly and together with other people not in court, the accused kidnapped MO.
The prosecution told the court that the accused committed the 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 is alleged that the accused acquired 8m/-, while at the time of receipt he knew that the said money was proceeds of a predicate offence of participating in an organised 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.
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Mr Lazaro Mambosasa is quoted as saying that the abduction of the famous businessman was committed at around 5am. According to him, the abductors, two of them white, arrived at the scene in a Toyota Surf vehicle.
The police commander explains further that before escaping with the billionaire who served as Singida Urban MP on the ruling CCM ticket between 2005 and 2015, the kidnappers fired shots in the air.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda is also quoted as saying that the 43-year old business mogul had no security guards and had personally driven to the gym.
“And this was his normal practice because he was used to peace although he is rich enough to hire bodyguards,” he explains.
About ten days later, MO, the Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited (METL), a group company with several subsidiaries in beverages, edible oils, flour milling and textile manufacturing and soaps, among other commercial activities, was freed by the kidnappers.
