Lugola grilled 5 hours over Romania deal
What you need to know:
President Magufuli fired Lugola on Thursday after accusing him of mismanaging a Sh1 trillion fire department contract.
Dodoma. Sacked Home Affairs minister Kangi Lugola was yesterday questioned for over five hours by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) over his alleged involvement in a Sh1 trillion fire and emergence rescue equipment deal signed in Romania.
The Mwibara MP (CCM) was not ready to speak on details of the interrogation at PCCB headquarters in Dodoma even after journalists posed questions.
“I am safe,” he responded to reporters who sought his word before he got into his car and left.
Earlier PCCB officers said the questioning over a dubious procurement deal would not end with the former Minister. More officials are set to be grilled.
President Magufuli fired Lugola on Thursday after accusing him of mismanaging a Sh1 trillion fire department contract.
The fire department, which falls under the home affairs ministry, had signed the contract with an unnamed Romanian firm without involving the finance ministry or securing parliamentary approval, President Magufuli said. “The major issue here is the lack of integrity,” said the President during an event to inaugurate new housing units for the prison department .
“They have signed a Memorandum of Understanding but within the contract it has been stipulated that to terminate the contract, all activities that had been implemented will continue to be implemented, apparently upset President Magufuli said.
But for Mr Lugola, the road ahead still rough. The CCM Chairman for Mara Region Mr Samwel Kiboye told Mwananchi newspaper that the ethics committee of the ruling party in the region would summon him for questioning.
“We are not interfering with the PCCB investigation in any way. We will reveal our intentions and everything will be made public,’’ he said when asked why and how CCM wanted to interrogate the former Minister who was sacked by President John Magufuli a week ago over the Romanian deal.
Former Home Affairs former permanent secretary who was fired along Mr Lugola, Gen Jacob Kingu was questioned yesterday over the deal.
