Suspended Dart boss charged with occassioning Sh83m loss to govt
What you need to know:
She was charged along Dart’s finance and administration director Evodius Katale and the project’s chief legal officer Francis Kugesha and a city businessman Yuda Mwakatobe, who was charged with issuing false information to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) in a bid to evade tax.
Dar es Salaam. Suspended Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (Dart) chief executive officer Asteria Mlambo was yesterday charged with occasioning an Sh83.5 million loss to the government.
She was charged along Dart’s finance and administration director Evodius Katale and the project’s chief legal officer Francis Kugesha and a city businessman Yuda Mwakatobe, who was charged with issuing false information to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) in a bid to evade tax.
The former Dart boss is charged just two months after she was suspended over procurement irregularities.
State Attorney Jacquline Nyantori alleged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court that Ms Mlambo and two other Dart officials, who face one count of causing an Sh 83.5 million loss, committed the offence between September 1 and October 31, 2013.
She alleged that the accused failed to fulfil their duties diligently and professionally and caused the said loss to the government.
Regarding the third accused person, Ms Nyantori alleged that Mr Mwakatobe issued false data to TRA officials when presenting information about his company Yukan Business Co. Ltd for the year 2004/2005.
The prosecutor alleged that the information misled TRA officials such that his firm was undercharged in taxes.
He allegedly committed the offence in May 2006 when he filed reports of his company for the year 2005.
All the accused shrugged off the charges facing them.
Their lawyer Yuda Tadei asked the court to grant bail to his clients, a prayer that met no objection from the prosecution.
The latter, though, asked the court to issue tough conditions for the bail.
Resident Magistrate Respicius Mwijage instructed Ms Mlambo, Mr Katale and Mr Kugesha to each seek a surety who would each sign a Sh15 million bond and present in court a letter from a government institution or registered company introducing them.
The three Dart officials fulfilled bail terms and were released pending hearing of a case against them.
The case will come on March 9 for another mention.
