AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) and the Corruption and Economic Sabotage Court to speed up hearing of the cases.
Equally, she instructed the PCCB to drop all charges that the bureau had no enough evidence and could end up losing them in court.
Ms Samia made the instruction in response to the PCCB report, which showed that the bureau has managed to implement its 2019/2020 action plan by 89 per cent.
Speaking shortly after receiving the audit report from Controller and Auditor General (CAG) and the PCCB report at the State House Chamwino in Dodoma, the president was of the view that there was no need for the PCCB to file a lot of cases that the government will end up defeated in court.
“PCCB has to drop charges that have no enough evidence, let’s remain with feasible cases,” she said, insisting that the bureau should make sure it collects all the facts before taking any matter to the court of law.
“It doesn’t paint a good picture when the government loses a large number of cases at the court, avoid bringing baseless charges to the court,” she urged.
In another development, President Samia underscored the need for amendments of the PCCB Act, for it to match with the present and future needs.
According to the president, the Act has to consider the safety of witnesses and protect whistleblowers in corruption and economic sabotage cases.
She went on to commend PCCB for increasing a number of cases that it has won.
President Samia noted PCCB has been involved in civil matters including debt collections that are to be dealt with by other government organs, in this case she asked the bureau to stick on its main role of fighting corruption.
“To enhance your efficiency, it’s better for the PCCB to focus on issues that have indicators of corruption,” emphasized the president.
Her concern over the need for PCCB and Economic sabotage courts to speed the hearing had also been raised by the former President late John Magufuli.
It was during his tenure when the economic sabotage court was established aiming at eliminating corruption in the country.
