Money laundering: Chadema vows to act over law

Dar es Salaam. With scores of people languishing behind bars on unbailable money laundering charges, the opposition Chadema said yesterday it would challenge the law in court.

Chadema Coast Zone vice chairman Baraka Mwango said the party would assign its lawyers to file a petition challenging the law on the grounds that it is being abused.

He added that the law was being used to “settle scores and silence dissent”.

“You can be arrested in connection with some not-so-serious allegations, but could very well end up being charged with money laundering, which is not bailable,” Mr Mwango said.

He spoke as a number of people – including human rights activists, politicians, journalists, public officials and businesspeople – remain in remand after being charged with money laundering and organised crimes. Mr Mwango made the remarks when presenting the party’s views on the economic and political situations in Tanzania in 2019.

He said two lawyers were working on the preliminary plan to file the case, adding that more legal experts could be drafted in before the petition was lodged, which he added would be as soon as possible.

“Tanzanians, forward-looking institutions and local and international organisations should support us in our endeavour,” he said.

Dar es Salaam-based lawyer Jebra Kambole said it is a constitutional right to challenge any law, adding that it was puzzling why money laundering charges are unbailable.

He said the law should be amended and make it possible for courts to grant bail to people accused of money laundering.

Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) lawyer Fulgence Massawe said the problem was how the law was being applied.

“Investigations are supposed to be conducted before charges are pressed, but what is being done is the opposite. As a result, people are languishing behind bars,” he said.

In another development, Mr Mwango said services on Dar es Salaam’s rapid bus transit network were “horrible” this year.

“When services were introduced, we were told that chaos in public transport chaos in Dar es Salaam would be a thing of the past, but the fact is commuting in the city is now more chaotic than ever,” he said.

Mr Mwango added that there has been no noticeable reduction in congestion and the time it takes people to commute from one part of the city to another.