Court finds Tanzania’s trade body officials guilty of abuse of office
Dar es Salaam. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, October 3, sentenced Tanzania Trade Development Authorities’ (TanTrade) Research and Planning director Samweli Mvingira and Finance and Administration acting director Judith Msuya to three years imprisonment or a fine of Sh5 million for each count.
The two, who were accused of causing loss to the government, were charged with four counts out of five, including abusing their office by purchasing a used car contrary to the Public Procurement Act.
However, Msuya managed to pay the fine.
Reading the judgment, Resident Magistrate Cyprian Mkeha said he was satisfied with evidence produced by the public prosecutor.
“I’ve found the accused guilty with four charges of misusing their powers and they must be made accountable,” noted Mr Mkeha, adding that public prosecution failed to prove the fifth count that the accused caused a loss of Sh49.1 billion to the government.
According to the charge sheet, the accused, were said to have committed the crimes between September 2007 and July 2008 at the TanTrade headquarters in Temeke Municipality.
