Accused in Sh22bn case meets bail terms

Dar es Salaam. Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court has released on bail businessman Ally Raza who is facing economic crime charges.

Mr Raza who is an Indian national was released on Friday after he managed to comply with bail terms imposed to him by the Anti-corruption Court.

He is charged along with other two accused, a Tanzanian, Mr Jeremia Kerenge, and Ms Fu Chang Feng, a Chinese woman with several counts, including that of importing monofilament nets worth Sh22 billion.

On November 16 this year, the court ordered Mr Raza to deposit Sh2.6 billion or a title deed of immovable properties equivalent to the same amount.

Mr Raza and Mr Kerenge through their lawyer Roman Thelathini Lamwai, had lodged the bail application at the Economic, Corruption and Organised Crime Court (Anti-Corruption Court) on November 3 after the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, where the main case is being heard, refused to grant them bail on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction to do so.

In the case, the two, Ms Fu and Mr Kerenge, are alleged to have imported into Tanzania from Shanghai, China, a container with 499 bags of monofilament nets worth Sh7,485,000. The two were found in possession of the items on October 4 at Kurasini Shimo la Udongo suburb, in Temeke District.

According to the prosecution, the nets were prohibited in Tanzania.

It was alleged that on October 5 this year in Ilala Mafuriko Street, the accused were found in possession of 325 bags with 187 pieces of the monofilament nets worth Sh15 billion.

On the same day and place, the three accused were also alleged to have been found in illegal possession of 50 bags with containing 200 pieces of fishing gillnet.