Tuesday, December 1, 2015



New TRA employees cautioned against grand corruption






 GOVERNMENT institutions have been advised to often conduct guiding seminars on ethics and professionalism for their employees in order to reduce malpractices and corruption in the country.


The remarks were made in Dar es Salaam by the Chairperson of Dar es Salaam Inter religious peace committee, Chief Sheikh, Alhaji Mussa Salim, before presenting a paper on ethics to new Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), employees.
Sheikh Salim said that if one does not have the fear of God it will not be easy to flee from corruption, thus seminars were very important to remind employees of their duty.
“Other institutions have a lesson to learn from TRA as we have witnessed and heard various corruption issues in our country which means many have forgotten the value of their work,” he said.
The chairman further said many people get involved in corrupt activities simply because of lack of love, patriotism and for selfish reasons. Vice chairperson of the committee, Rev George Fupe said ethics was very crucial as the country has witnessed various malpractices simply because some people do not value others.
“In the Bible we have been directed to subject to governing authorities including paying taxes and other things directed by them,” he said. Rev Fupe said if someone does not pay taxes it implies that they are against God’s will, adding that Jesus told the Pharisees to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.
The committee presented a paper on ethics to 150 new TRA employees who are currently undergoing in-house training at the Institute of Tax Administration. The papers are based on how holy books are against corruption practices.
TRA Director of Internal Affairs, Ms Stella Cosmas said the training aimed at creating employees who will abide by the authorities and values which are accountability, integrity and professionalism.
“We provide ethics training in each of the courses taught at the institute of tax administration to help them abide by our core values,” she said Ms Cosmas said TRA recently recruited 150 graduates who are undergoing a one year competence based training course to equip them with necessary skills needed to excel in various roles within the tax management arena.
The move is part of TRA initiative aimed at preparing competent generation of tax administrator’s and leaders in the country.
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Joy as Mlimani Primary School browse internet




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Sheikh Ponda acquitted of sedition rap

COUNCIL of Islamic Organisation Secretary, Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda (centre), is mobbed by his supporters after being set free by the Morogoro Resident Magistrates’Court in Morogoro Municipality on Monday.. 
THE Morogoro Resident Magistrate’s Court acquitted the Secretary of Council of Islamic Organisation, Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda, of seditious charges he was facing.

 
Resident Magistrate-in-Charge Mary Moyo ruled in favour of the Muslim leader after the prosecution “failed to prove the charges against him beyond reasonable doubt.’’ During hearing of the prosecution’s case, the trial attorney, Principal State Attorney Bernard Kongola had called nine witnesses to prove the charges against the accused.
On the defence side, advocates Juma Nassoro and Abubakar Salum, represented Ponda. It was all smiles for Ponda and his followers, who had jammed the court premises, for the judgment. Immediately after the session, Ponda left the area in the company of his advocates.
The armed law enforcers who had escorted him to the court also left in a different direction. Ponda was arraigned in the Morogoro Court on August 19, 2013, facing three counts of disobeying a lawful order and incitement to commit criminal offences.
The prosecution alleged that Ponda committed the offences on August 10, 2013, at Ndege Primary School grounds in Morogoro Municipality.
He allegedly gave seditious statements, inciting the society in contravention of court directives. According to the prosecution, Sheikh Ponda incited Muslim believers not to recognise Mosques Securities formed by the Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata), whom he claimed were puppets of CCM and the government, threatening violence against them if they showed up.
Such statement was allegedly made against the directive of the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam, which on June 2, 2013, convicted him of one count of forcible entry to a plot situated at Chang’ombe area in Temeke District and given a suspended sentence of 12 months.
Apart from the sentence, Resident Magistrate Victorian Nongwa, sitting at the Kisutu Court, had ordered Ponda to refrain from committing any other crime, remain peaceful and behave well in the meantime.
The prosecution had further alleged that at the same place in Morogoro Municipality, Ponda issued seditious statements, saying the government deployed an army to Mtwara to contain chaos caused by residents in the region who were opposing the construction of a gas pipeline from Mtwara to Dar es Salaam.
Ponda was also quoted as alleging that the region’s residents who are 90 per cent Muslims were raped, killed and intimidated while the same was not the case during a conflict between residents of Loliondo, who are 90 per cent Christians, who were opposed to the distribution of a portion of hunting block to an Arab entrepreneur.
In a ruling delivered in July, this year, the magistrate had acquitted Ponda of the offence of disobedience in connection with directives given by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court after the prosecution failed to show any tangible evidence that would require him to defend himself.
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Container transfer to Bakhresa ICD put off over irregularities

 
   THE Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has suspended transfer of containers to Said Salim Bakhresa & Company Limited Inland Containers Depot (ICD) over allegations that clearance of containers from the company’s depot did not follow procedures.
 
Without mentioning how many containers were removed un-procedurally, TRA’s move follows concern that the acts made the government lose revenue much as it contravenes the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004 and its Regulations.
In an official TRA communication with reference number TRA/CUS/1.20/VOL VII/15 from the office of Commissioner for Customs and Excise addressed to the General Manager at Said Salim Bakhresa & Company, the taxman expresses concern over a case regarding un-procedural clearance of containers to and from the ICD.
The letter, seen by ‘Daily News’, written by one Mr Wolfgang Salia on November 17 this year to the General Manager at Said Salim Bakhresa & Company Limited contained a statement that TRA was suspending the transfer of containers to the said ICD.
“You are aware that such removal of goods from the customs- controlled area, of which government taxes and duties have not been paid, is unlawful in accordance with the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004 and its Regulations as it may result into loss of government revenues,” noted Mr Salia.
Mr Salia noted that it had been decided to stop allocation of containers to Said Salim Bakhresa & Company ICD with immediate effect from the date of the letter until the said matter is resolved.
Basing on the fact, TRA suspended the transfer of containers from the Said Salim Bakhresa & Company Limited ICD. The letter was copied to the Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS) Managing Director, Dar es Salaam Port Manager at Tanzania Port Authority (TPA), Tanzania Shipping Agents Association (TASAA), Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFA) and Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA).
The ‘Daily News’ sought comment from the Dar es Salaam Port Manager, Mr Hebel Mhanga, yesterday, who confirmed that the moment they received the TRA communication, they stopped taking containers to the ICD. He said ongoing state investigations over loss of containers, which can only be found on TPA documents and do not appear on TRA documents, has all happened at the Said Salim Bakhresa & Company Limited Inland Containers Depot (ICD).
“The ongoing investigations by state organs is focusing on one ICD where all containers ‘were lost,’’ he said. When contacted over the matter yesterday, a manager at one of the subsidiaries within Said Salim Bakhresa Group, Mr Said Mohamed, said he was not responsible for the ICD. He directed the ‘Daily News’ to a person identified by only one name as Khan, who manages the ICD. Mr Mohammed is responsible for the flour products section.
The TRA Director of Tax Education, Mr Richard Kayombo, said when contacted yesterday that he would not commit himself to saying anything on grounds that the matter was still under a probe that is yet to be concluded.
“I cannot comment anything on that matter since it’s under investigation, which is managed by state organs. When issues are at such a stage, I am not allowed to publicly comment on them,’’ he pointed out.
The 'Daily News' could not get a comment from the TASAA Chairman, Mr Peter Kirigini, yesterday either as calls to his phone went unanswered. Recently, during a surprise visit to the port, Prime Minister Majaliwa Kassim Majaliwa sacked five officers from Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) over responsiblity for the loss of 349 containers, worth 80bn/- , at Dar es Salaam port.
Those who were sacked include Tax Commissioner, Tiagi Masamaki, Customer Service Unit official, Habibu Mpozya, ICT Officer Haruni Mpande, Head of Inland Container Depots (ICD) Eliachi Mrema and Hamis Ali Omari.
Premier Majaliwa said data about the lost containers found on TPA documents but do not appear on TRA documents shows that there were suspicious things going on at the port.
President John Pombe Magufuli also suspended the TRA Commissioner General, Rished Bade and appointed Mr Philiph Mpango to act in his place. Before being suspended, Bade admitted that the containers ‘got lost’ with theft being committed between the Dar es salaam port at the Ubungo ICD.
He had said that as a result of the theft, the owner of the ICD had been ordered to pay a fine of 12.6bn/-, and had already paid 2.4bn/- of the total. On Saturday, the government suspended three more employees from TRA who were previously supposed to be transferred upcountry following surprise visit by the Prime Minister, Mr Majaliwa Kassim Majaliwa, on Friday.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the trio -- Anangisye Mtafya, Nsajigwa Mwandengele and Robert Nyoni -- were also being interdicted. The PMO also used the opportunity to direct the interim TRA boss, Dr Mpango, to follow up on his directives by serving suspension letters to the trio.
On Friday, Bade and five other senior officials were suspended in the wake of ‘disappearance’ from TRA tax ledger of 349 containers leading to over 80bn/- loss in government revenue.
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The Secretary of Council of Islamic Organization, Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda.
 
THE Morogoro Resident Magistrate’s Court is expected on Monday to deliver its judgment in the case against the Secretary of Council of Islamic Organization, Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda who is charged with seditious offences


Resident Magistrate in Charge Mary Moyo was previously set to give the verdict on November 18, but could not make it because she was attending to other official matters, including training on how to handle election petitions.
The magistrate will deliver the judgment after going through the evidence produced by the prosecution and defence as well as their respective final submissions presented in the criminal matter.
In the trial, Principal State Attorney Bernard Kongola is appearing for the prosecution, while advocates Juma Nassoro and Abubakar Salum are for the Muslim leader.
According to the charge sheet, the prosecution states that Sheikh Ponda is accused of uttering words with intention to injure religious feelings and inciting members of the public.
The prosecution alleges that Ponda issued statements with seditious intention, saying the government deployed an army to Mtwara to contain chaos from citizens who were objecting to the construction of a gas pipeline.
Ponda was also quoted as saying that citizens who were 90 per cent Muslims were raped, killed and intimidated while the government turned a blind eye during the conflict between residents of Loliondo.
The residents who contain 90 per cent Christians were up in arms after a certain Arab was allocated a portion of hunting block. In his examination in chief during the defence hearing, Sheikh Ponda admitted to have uttered some statements at a meeting held on August 10, 2013, at Ndege Primary School ground in Morogoro Municipality.
However, the Muslim leader pointed out that what he spoke was just a repetition of words that were said by citizens of Mtwara Region. According to him, what he was doing at the meeting is to convey the message and concerns of the people of Mtwara region to the citizens of Morogoro on the subject regarding gas extraction.
Ponda told the court that he quoted several other words at the meeting that were spoken by the people of Mtwara, but was wondering why the prosecution decided to select only a few of them and link him with the sedition case.
He claimed that the words he spoke had no impact because there was no negative reaction that came out from the people in Morogoro region where the meeting was held.
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Monday, November 30, 2015

Independence funds to upgrade Mwenge road

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The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mr Diwani Athumani




The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mr Diwani Athumani named five suspects saying the remaining seven their names will be revealed after investigations.
He named those in custody as Commissioner of Customs, Tiagi Masamaki (56) and TRA Assistant Manager at Customs Service, Habib Mponezya, Head of ICT Department Haruni Mpande , In-charge of the ICD, Eliaichi Mrema and Business Officer Hamis Ally Omary The DCI told reporters in Dar es Salaam that investigations on other seven suspects in connection with the matter are going on and that the names will be released after they are completed.
He said the suspects’ arrest follows investigations conducted by officers in the police financial crimes unit in collaboration with all institutions that in one way or another were linked with the scandal that has denied the government of billions of shillings in appropriate revenue.
Mr Athumani appealed to members of public who have got important information on those who are implicated in the container syndicate at the country’s major sea gateway as well as embezzlers of public property to report to the police.
However, he said, those who know that in one way or another are being involved in the scandal should surrender to the police before being tracked by the law enforcers.
The DCI said the suspects will appear in court after investigations are complete. Last week, the government suspended TRA Commissioner General, Rished Bade, and five other senior officials in the wake of the missing 349 containers valued at 80bn/-.
The move followed a surprise visit last week, by the Prime Minister, Mr Majaliwa Kassim Majaliwa, to Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) and that of the TRA and suspended Masamaki and Mponezya.
Other suspended officers - Mpande, Hamisi Ali Omari and Eliachi Mrema are being held by the police. He also directed the Inspector- General of Police (IGP) to apprehend all those implicated so that they can help with the investigations.
Their passports have already been confiscated and their wealth is now under audit. Mr Majaliwa had also directed the transfer of three employees from Dar es Salaam to an upcountry destination.
They are Anangisye Mtafya, Nsajigwa Mwandengele and Robert Nyoni. Earlier before the suspension, the TRA CG had admitted that containers got lost between the port and ICDs, particularly the Ubungo ICD. Bade had said that in an investigation that he carried out in one ICD, he found 54 containers had been lost under mysterious circumstances. “In spite of that, we are continuing with the investigations.
The number has now reached 327. We are still following up on the matter and working with PCCB. The owner of the ICD has been fined 12.6bn/- and has already paid 2.4bn/-,” he had explained.
When asked by the premier if he has the names of the employees involved in the theft, Bade admitted that he had a list but he could not produce it immediately.
Mr Majaliwa then showed him a list showing there were 349 stolen containers with all the details, including licence plate numbers that carried the containers, which Bade agreed was correct.
It was at that juncture that the PM said that such a trend could not continue and that there was need to remove ‘rotten apples’ from the tax body hierarchy. He did exactly that.
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