PCCB arrests Hanspoppe at JNIA on arrival from Dubai

Dar es Salaam. Former chairman of the players’ registration committee of Simba Sports Club Zacharia Hanspoppe was yesterday arrested in Dar es Salaam in connection with a money-laundering case.

Officials from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) arrested Hanspoppe on Sunday afternoon at the Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) as soon as he arrived on a flight, reportedly from Dubai.

The PCCB Deputy Director General, Brigadier General John Mbungo, confirmed Hanspoppe’s arrest to The Citizen yesterday.

“It is true. We have arrested him. We arrested him at the airport as soon as he arrived from abroad,” said Brigadier General John Mbungo.

He said PCCB got information that Hanspoppe was returning from a trip. “We then spoke to Immigration officials at the airport. PCCB officials were there and they arrested him,” he said.

The former chairman of the players’ registration committee for Simba Sports Club is expected to be joined in a money-laundering case facing some of his colleagues at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.

PCCB is also looking for Franklin Lauwo but according to Brigadier General John Mbungo, the Bureau has already communicated with him and he will make himself available to them as soon as he returns from Pakistan. In April this year, the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court ordered the arrest of Hanspoppe, in connection with the forgery and money laundering case brought against two of the club’s former bosses.

Hanspoppe and Lauwo have been joined in the case against Simba SC president Evans Aveva and his deputy Geoffrey Nyange “Kaburu”.

Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simbaa ordered the immediate arrest of Mr Hans Poppe and Mr Franklin Lauwo after PCCB prosecutor Leonard Swai changed the charge sheet to include the two.

Mr Aveva and Mr Nyange have been charged with forgery and laundering $300,000 (about Sh675 million).