If anything, according to the director-general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), more suspects will be brought to court any time now to face graft charges. Dr Edward Hoseah’s assurance comes barely two days after two senior public servants were charged with corruption in the Tegeta escrow account scam on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam.
They stand accused of corruptly receiving nearly Sh500 million from the traceable to the Tegeta escrow account. These are Mr Rugonzibwa Mujunangoma, the director of legal services at the ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, and Mr Theophillo Bwakea, a principal engineer at the Rural Energy Agency (REA).
Mr Mujunangoma reportedly received Sh323.4 million from Mr Rugemalira. The money is said to have been a reward for handling IPTL affairs favourably as a liquidator. Mr Bwakea has been charged with receiving Sh161.7 million for allegedly “facilitating” the policy under which the private sector would be allowed to produce and sell electricity to Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).
The anti-corruption Czar said investigators from his office are working round the clock and all those connected with the scam will be taken to court as soon as possible. His remarks come against a backdrop of accusations of selective justice in prosecuting those who received money from Mr Rugemalira, but Dr Hoseah dismissed the claims and warned that those who received bribes should prepare to face the law.
PCCB investigators have reportedly interrogated a dozen public servants who received millions of shillings from Mr Rugemalira. They include officials from the state-owned power utility, Tanesco, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, the Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) and State House.
Investigators are also on the trail of more beneficiaries, including those whose cash was wired abroad. A senior government official (name withheld) is said to have received about $3million (Sh5.1 billion), which was wired to his foreign bank account in Johannesburg from one of the IPTL shareholders.
But when asked whether the recently sacked Land and Human settlements Minister, Prof Anna Tibaijuka, was on the list of those likely to appear in court, Dr Hoseah said it was illegal to name or disclose details to do with those under investigation.
Prof Tibaijuka was sacked on December 22 for receiving Sh1.6 billion from Mr Rugemalira.
“There is no cause for alarm,” Dr Hoseah said, adding: “Just give us time to discharge our duty and you will soon see more people dragged to court immediately after we accomplish our investigations.’’
Other high profile officials implicated in the Tegeta escrow scandal are Mr Frederick Werema, who resigned as Attorney General in December, and Energy and Minerals Permanent Secretary Eliakim Maswi, who has since been suspended pending the outcome of further investigations on his role in the scam.
Seven Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) top officials have been suspended for failing to collect tax on money withdrawn from the controversial account.
In a move seen as a big blow to the beneficiaries of the VIP billions, TRA has issued a 30-day notice to all those who received money from Mr Rugemalira to pay 30 per cent income tax plus the penalty before the end of this month.
The Citizen
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