Tanzania: Dar es Salaam bank theft suspects bailed out

THE Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday gave bail to two foreigners and two Tanzanians who are charged with attempting to steal from Twiga Bancorp by interfering with the bank's computer network system.


The accused are Moses Matovu, a Ugandan, Rufti Paul, a Swedish, Shafee Habib and Simon Washa, both Tanzanians.

According to the prosecution, it is alleged that between 2010 and 2011 at Twiga Bankcorp Samora Avenue branch, the accused conspired to steal and interfere with the bank's operations.

According to Resident Magistrate Frank Moshi, the accused were set free after managing to fulfill bail conditions of each presenting two sureties working for a government entity and paying a bond of 5m/- each.

Meanwhile, four Chinese nationals were arraigned before the court charged with three counts of employing people without valid work permit, living in the country without valid residence permit and working in the country without valid permit.

The guilty men are Wu Bo (60), first accused, Guengje Liu (48), second accused, Juan Wang (42), third accused and Gongle Duan (43), the fourth accused, all residents of Tabata Segerea in Dar es Salaam. The men pleaded guilty to all charges and were thus sentenced immediately.

It is alleged that on June 19, 2011 Bo had employed Liu, Wang and Duan to work for his construction company called Boya Construction Company Limited at Tabata Segerea while knowing it was unlawful.

While for the second and third counts, Liu, Wang and Duan were found on June 19, 2011 living and working in the country without valid permits.

"Considering that it is their first time to commit the offences and the fact that they have all entered a guilty plea, I sentence Bo to pay a fine of 50000/- or on failure to do so be imprisoned for six months.

"While for the Liu, Wang and Duan, the court sentences you all to pay a fine of 25000/- for each of the counts or be imprisoned for three months for each offence committed," Katemana gave the judgment.

Before the judgment, the first accused denied to have employed second, third and fourth accused without a valid permit citing that it was the client who had invited him in the country but failed to secure him the permits.

"It was not my fault that these men were employed without valid papers because my client had promised me three times that he would give me the permits but he failed," explained Bo.