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Tido not guilty, court rules

Former Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation director general Tido Mhando (middle) walks outside the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court after he was found not guilty of all five counts with which he was charged in Dar es Salaam yesterday. He is accompanied by is lawyers and relatives. PHOTO | OMAR FUNGO

What you need to know:

  • Reading the judgement yesterday, Magistrate Huruma Shaidi said prosecution had failed to prove charges raised against the accused.

Dar es Salaam. The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday acquitted the former director general of Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), Mr Tido Mhando, of five charges facing him including occasioning the government a loss of Sh887 million.

Mr Tido was charged at the Court on January 26, 2018 on five counts including occasioning the government the loss amounting to Sh887 million.

But, reading the judgement yesterday, Magistrate Huruma Shaidi said prosecution had failed to prove charges raised against the accused.

“Charges should be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Did the contracts signed by Mr Mhando with Chanel 2 Group Corporation have legal powers,” he questioned. He said the court has failed to convict Mr Mhando after finding that the contracts lacked legal powers.

“Therefore, after passing through evidence provided by the prosecution in relation to charges facing the accused, the court has found him not guilty and he is set free from now,” he said.

After the judgement, Mr Mhando walked outside the court chamber just to be received by family members who couldn’t control their emotions.

However, Mr Mhando declined to give remarks on the judgement, and, instead drove away. But, prosecution said they were intending to appeal.

On January 26, last year, Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) lawyer Leonard Swai alleged before the court that on June 16, 2008 in Dubai, UAE, Mr Mhando deliberately abused his position by signing a contractual agreement for running and broadcasting TV programmes between the state broadcaster and Channel 2 Group Corporation (BV1) without announcing a tender, contrary to the procurement laws, as he enabled BVl to gain profits.

In the second charge, it was alleged that, on June 20, 2008, Mr Mhando abused his position by signing a contractual agreement on global digital broadcasting between TBC and BVl.