Diesel theft case fails to proceed at Kisutu Court

Dar es Salaam. An economic sabotage case involving former staff of the Tanzania Zambia (Tazama) Oil Pipeline Company, Samwel Nyakirang’ani (63), failed to proceed on Thursday, March 08, as the magistrate handling it (the case) failed to turn up.

Mr Nyakirang’ani and six other people stand accused of economic sabotage crimes at Dar es Salaam’s Kisutu Resident Magistrate Court in connection with the theft of diesel that was being siphoned off a pipeline in the city’s Kigamboni area.

The seven were arraigned on January 16, charged of unlawful connection of fuel pipeline and damaging property but the Principal Resident Magistrate Thomas Simba, who is handling the case, was not available on Thursday.

The principal state attorney, Mr Peter Maugo said when the case came up for mention on Thursday that Magistrate Thomas Simba was not available.

“All the accused persons are here and the case has come up for mention. The court was being expected to work on a bail application as put forward by the accused and the prosecution side (the Republic of Tanzania) is ready for the case,” he told the Court’s Principal Resident Magistrate, Huruma Shaidi.

Magistrate Shaidi adjourned the case to March 22.

Other accused persons in the case include: Nyangi Mentaro, a teacher at Ufukoni Primary School; Farijia Ahmed, a businesswoman; Malaki Mathias, a businessman; Kristomsi Angelusi, a businessman; Pamfili Nkoronko, a masson and Henry Fredrick, a businessman.

The accused have been charged under the Economic and Organised Crime Control Act.

They have since been remanded in custody because the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has filed a certificate to deny them bail on grounds of public interest.

The prosecution side told the court on January 16 that between 2015 and January 8, this year, at Tungi Muungano area within Kigamboni District in the city, jointly and together, all accused persons connected their one inch in diameter stainless steel pipeline without the consent of the licensee, the TPA. The court was further told that within the same period and place in Kigamboni District, Dar es Salaam Region, jointly and together, the accused perforated and damaged a 24 inches in diameter pipeline, the property of TPA, used to supply diesel fuel.

It is alleged also that within the same period and place at Kigamboni District in the city, jointly and together, all the accused perforated and damaged a 28 inch in diameter pipeline, the property of TPA, used for supplying crude oil.

Police investigations suggest that Nyakirang’ani is the owner of the house from which the pipe was allegedly connected drawing oil from the TPA pipeline.