Court slaps fines on Air Tanzania agents

Dar es Salaam. Kisutu Magistrate Court yesterday slapped a Sh1 million fine apiece on 12 Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) agents or a 20-year jail term for causing the national carrier a loss of more than Sh10 million.

Apart from the fine, the court also ordered the agents, who admitted to charges, to pay a total of Sh10.8 million and nationalisation of all devices they used to cause the loss.

They include 13 mobile phones and six computers.

Following their inability to pay the aforementioned fine, the convicts were sent to prison.

Resident Magistrate Salum Ally said he issued the ruling after all accused admitted to the charges they were facing.

The convicts in the economic sabotage case number 97/2018 are Fabian Ishengoma, Adamu Kamara, Marlon Masubo, Alexender Malongo, Tunu Kiluvya, Jabu Mkumbwa, Mohammed Issa, Godfrey Mgombela, Absalom Nyusi. Others are Janeth Lubega and Mary Semakweli.

Previously, the senior state attorney Wankyo Simon informed the court that investigation was complete and that the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) issued a certificate to allow the Kisutu Magistrate Court to hear the case.

Defence lawyer Benedict Ishabakaki informed the court that since it was the first time that his clients were indicted by the court and because they confessed the charges the court should consider minimizing the punishment against them.

“I beg the court to minimize the punishment against my clients because they didn’t trouble the court, but also because they are still young with families to take care of.” he pleaded,

He added: “After all, they are also the manpower of this nation.”

Resident Magistrate Ally, having read the indictment to the convicted said that if they are not satisfied with the ruling they can appeal.

In the main case, the convicted, together, had allegedly caused the ATCL a loss of Sh10,874,280 at different areas in Dar es Salaam between March 3 and October 9, 2018.