Malinzi case fails to proceed over sick lawyer
Dar es Salaam. The hearing of a case facing the immediate former president of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Jamal Malinzi, has failed to proceed at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court because Richard Rweyongeza, who is leading the panel of defence lawyers, is sick.
Prevention and Combating of Corruption (PCCB)’s Lawyer Leonard Swai alleged before the court’s Resident Magistrate-in-Charge WilbardMashauri that all the accused persons in the case were present in court and that they were prepared for the hearing as the witness was also in court.
After lawyer Swai’spresentation, defence lawyer Nehemiah Nkoko told the court that the leader of the panel of the defence lawyers was sick, adding that Rweyongezawas the one who heard at length the Prosecution’s eighth witness.
Nkoko, therefore, asked the court to grant them a short leave to create time forRweyongezaappear in court.
After hearing both parties, Magistrate Mashauri adjourned the case until November 1, 2018, when the Prosecution’s eighth witness would continue to give evidence in the case. The Prosecution’s eighth witness is TFF Secretary General KidaoMzigama Wilfred (41).
Besides Jamal Malinzi (57), the other accused persons in the case are TFF Secretary General MwesigwaSelestine (46), TFF accountant NsiandeMwanga (27), TFF office manager Miriam Zayumba and TFF clerk Flora Rauya, who are jointly facing 30 counts in the criminal case no. 213 of 2017 that includes conspiracy, forgery, obtaining money by false pretense and money laundering worth$173,335 andSh 43,100,000.
Malinzi, Mwesigwa and Nsiande are in remand prison facing charges of money laundering, among others, whereby - according to the law - it is unbailable.The co-accused persons: Zayumba and Flora have been freed on bail.
