FIVE people, including the ex-Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) accountant, Mr Justice Lumina Katiti, have been sentenced to five years imprisonment or pay a fine of 100m/- for being found guilty of money laundering charges involving over 3bn/-.
The accused were jailed for failure to pay the fine.
Along with Katiti are former accountant of the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL), Marcus Mussa Masila, a businessman of UEE Tanzania Limited and Businessmen Kanuti Ferdinand Ndomba of UEE Tanzania Limited, Gidion Wasonga Otullo (East Africa Procurement Services) and Robert Phares Mbetwa of Romos Technology Company Limited.
According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Mr Mussa Misalaba, Principal Resident Magistrate Renatus Rutatinisibwa of the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam issued the judgment upon being satisfied with the prosecution’s evidence.
The magistrate convicted the accused on 51 counts of corruption and money laundering charges which were filed for the first time on July 21, 2010.
The prosecution was led by prosecutors from PCCB and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) office which included Senior State Attorney, Shedrack Kimaro, State Attorney, Estazia Wilson and Mr Marx Ally.
Between 2007 and 2009, the accused conspired to transfer sh. 3,399,251,740.24 property of the TTCL being payment for the TRA tax and was illegally paid to UEE.
It was also alleged that with intent to defraud, Masila forged signatures of TTCL signatories and exchanged TIS forms intended to transfer cash to TRA by altering the name to UEE.
According to the charge sheet, between 2008 and 2009, the accused obtained properties including expensive motor vehicles and houses.
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