Tanzania: Court adjourns 500m/- Stan Chart case

A PROSECUTION witness, who is also a former police anti-robbery officer, yesterday told a Dar es Salaam court that an accused Phillip Moshi had confessed to him that he was directly involved in a plot to rob 500m/- from Standard Chartered Bank.

The accused persons include Mashaka Pastory, Rashid Eliakim, Philip Moshi, Hussein Masoud, Martin Ndasha, Erick Mfinanga, Lucas Nyamaira and John Mndasha, who are alleged to have raided Standard Chartered Bank headquarters in 2006.

Prosecution witness, SSP Duan Nyanda, told Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court that during interrogation in May 29, 2006, Moshi had confessed to him that the mastermind and first accused, John Mndasha, gave him the task of surveying the bank before invading it.

"He had told me that a man called John Mndasha, who drove a white Land Cruiser, had contacted him and gave him a task of surveying the bank area to determine if there will be enough police resistant during the robbery," he told the court.

SSP Nyanda also testified that Moshi said that after surveying the area, he left the crime scene and was later contacted by his accomplices and given 6m/- as part of his share of the 500m/- loot.

"Moshi confessed that during his survey, he saw other suspects, Uhuru Mahenge getting out of a white Toyota Corrolla holding a revolver and another suspect, Martin Mndasha, getting out of a black Toyota balloon," the former officer narrated.

However defence advocate, Majura Magafu had contested Nyanda's evidence since charges in the witness' testimony are of "murder" which differs from the one in court of "armed robbery," thus charges before his client were doubtful.

Magafu also argued that the name of the accused, John Mndasha given in court in the testimony were ambiguous, thus the witness cannot properly identify him.

Nevertheless, after a long argument between the two parties, Resident Magistrate Frank Moshi ruled against Magafu.

Magistrate Moshi adjourned the case to Monday when the defenCe witnesses will testify.