THE Musoma Rural Member of Parliament (CCM), Mr Nimrod Mkono, has defended payments done by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to his firm Mkono and Company (Advocates) as legal fees and non fraudulent transaction.
Mr Mkono told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that his firm was paid realistic fees and in accordance with costs that lawyers and law firms charged clients. However, he would not want to reveal exactly how much the BoT paid him.
He was reacting to allegations by Member of Parliament for Karatu, Dr Wilbroad Slaa, (Chadema) at a public rally in Dar es Salaam last Saturday where he mentioned Mr Mkono as one of the major embezzlers of taxpayers’ money.
“My firm has an agreement with BoT as their counsel and we defended the Governor in a disputed payment against a claimant, one Mr Valambhia and his company, Transport Equipment Ltd of a sum totalling 60bn/-”, he said.
However, Mr Mkono said he had not yet decided on taking legal action against Dr Slaa, saying he would like first to see how the others who have been mentioned on the so-called ‘list of shame’ reacted. The MP had mentioned a total of eight people.
Mr Mkono, head of a firm of solicitors with worldwide connections, further said that his firm also defended the Attorney General and the government in general in the case against Mr Valambhia.
Mr Mkono said that Dr Slaa should have first tried to delve deeper into the agreement with BoT before deciding to go public and start accusing his company of embezzlement.
He also rubbished claims that he owned Tanfarms Ltd, Makinyumbi Estates Ltd, Centre Point Investment Ltd, Arusha farms Ltd, Azania Agricultural Enterprises, Oxford Services Ltd and Liberty Leather Shoes Ltd as alleged by the legislator.
SOURCE: DAILY NEWS
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