Top Tanzania treasury official buried as questions over his death linger

Dar es Salaam. If the dead could speak, then Leopold Lwajabe, who was buried yesterday at his Ihembe rural home in Karagwe District, Kagera Region, would recount the ordeal that sent him to the grave in a manner that has baffled both his family and the general public.

The 56 year old engineer was a senior official at the ministry of Finance and Planning, working as a deputy director dealing with European Union-funded projects. He deputised Mr Doto James who is the Permanent Secretary for Treasury.

Before news of his dramatic death broke out last week, Lwajabe was not widely known to the public. Those who worked closely with him said he was a hard working civil servant and easy going.

The news that he was found hanging from a mango tree, near the Mkuranga District Hospital in Coast Region, did not only shock his family but also many other people who were left wondering what may have befallen the otherwise respected public official.

With his family disputing the police version of what may have led to his death, only Mr Lwajabe, now dead and buried six-feet under, carried to his grave any would be secrets of his reported suicide.

So, did Mr Lwajabe really commit suicide? And what would have driven him to end his own life without his family’s suspicion? What about the choice of the tragic scene, tens of kilometres away from his city residence at Kinyerezi? Did he have any troubles at work? If it was work related issues, how serious were these issues to cost his life?

There are unlikely clear-cut answers to all these questions but officially, the police said Mr Lwabaje took his own life over unspecified reasons. His family, however, argued that the manner of his death, and the ordeal preceding it raises suspicions and leaves a lot to be desired.

But apparently both sides show that Mr Lwajabe may have been a troubled man in the days leading to the discovery of his body dangling from a mango tree.

According to Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Lazaro Mambosasa, circumstances indicated that Mr Lwajabe took his own life. The police claimed that Mr Lwajabe even left behind a notebook in which he reportedly wrote how his wealth should be shared among his family and relatives. The police said the deceased in the same note directed that four cows be slaughtered during his funeral.

“In addition, reports from his co-workers suggested that the deceased’s performance at work had deteriorated recently, something that, they said, was unusual. Mr Lwajabe was also delegating important tasks to his assistants instead of doing them himself,” said Mr Mambosasa in his July 31 statement.

A postmortem report is yet to be released, prompting the family to question the timing of the police statement on the demise of their kin. The post-mortem was to be conducted on Tuesday, July 30. There was still no report by the time of his burial yesterday.

Family spokesperson Mugisha Brassio pointed out that surroundings of the case have left them with doubts. Mr Brassio explained last week that Lwajabe’s body had signs of someone who had been tortured. He said he also wore a different shirt from the one he had left with when his body was identified.

Mr Brassio also confirmed reports that had been circulating on social media that the officer first went missing on July 16 after being picked by unidentified persons from his office. The unconfirmed reports linked his missing with his government work.

He said the family looked for him unsuccessfully until he reappeared at 6.30am on July 19.

“He was exhausted and did not speak much after a hooting vehicle dropped him outside the gate to his home,” narrated Mr Brassio.

He said their brother resumed work shortly after being treated at Muhimbili National Hospital for vomiting and diarrhoea. “But on July 25 he disappeared again and left his coat in the office. We reported the matter at Mburahati Police Station as it was the first time and we were told to wait for 72 hours to document the missing,” he said.

He told work-mates that he had been summoned to Mburahati Police Station to record a statement. But Mugisha said that would be the last time to hear from him. He said on July 29, a private investigator called them with the news of his body being found.

The ministry’s spokesman, Benny Mwaipaja, told The Citizen on Friday that Mr Lwajabe was a loving and hardworking person throughout the period he worked with him. He, however, declined to respond to other questions, saying that the police were best suited to do so.

As the Deputy National Authorising Officer (NAO) in the ministry, Lwajabe was responsible for the Programme Support Unit (PSU) of the European Development Fund (EDF). He was the central authority of the EU-funded projects implemented through what is commonly known as “decentralised modality.”

The docket was in charge of EDF projects in Tanzania which were granted euros 626 million (Sh1.59 trillion) for the 2014-2020 cycle. EDF, according to the EU website “promotes pro-poor and sustainable growth, and focuses on good governance, in particular in public finance and domestic accountability, as well as increasing energy access and security, and sustainable agriculture to improve food and nutrition security and better management of natural resources and ecosystems. It also finances actions to support civil society, business and employment.”

In a condolence message published on its website on July 31, the EU Delegation to Tanzania said it was saddened to learn of the death of Mr Lwajabe, describing him as “a well-respected colleague and a wonderful friend to many of us.” The delegation described the passing of Mr Lwajabe as “tragic” which brought “a great shock” to them. “His dedication to the Unit in the administration of the European Development Funds (EDF) over the years has always been appreciated and commended. His passion for his work, his jovial spirit and positive personality will always be remembered and cherished,” said the EU.