Three more suspects
appear in court over
EPA scandal
TWO brothers of Asian origin accused of stealing more than 5.9bn/- from the Bank of Tanzania’s external payment arrears (EPA) account, appeared at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday, along with the sibling of another prominent businessman, Johnson Lukaza.
Businessmen Ajay Suryakant Somani and Jai Chhotalal Somani, who own several petrol stations in Dar es Salaam plus other notable investments, were charged with conspiracy, fraud and theft of a total of 5,912,901,643.64/- from the key BoT account during 2005/06.
The colourful Somani brothers are alleged to have forged various legal documents (deeds of assignment) purporting to show that their company, Liquidity Services Limited, had been assigned the debts of the government to a foreign company, Society Alsacienne de Construction de Machines Textiles.
According to prosecutors, Ajay and Jai Somani conspired with other unknown people between December 2003 and October 2005 to steal the stated amount of money from the central bank using forged documents.
The charge sheet reveals that the two brothers were illegally paid by the BoT more than 5.9bn/- on September 2, 2005, on the basis of fraud.
The Somani brothers, who pleaded ’not guilty’, were remanded in prison after failing to meet tough bail conditions, which required each of them to deposit in court a staggering 1.478bn/- and secure two reliable sureties.
The criminal case against the two siblings was adjourned until November 25 when their indictment comes up for mentioning.
Meanwhile, Mwesiga Rutakyamilwa Lukaza, was also arraigned in court yesterday to face multiple counts of conspiracy, fraud and theft charges in connection with the EPA scandal.
Mwesiga joined his brother, prominent businessman Johnson Lukaza, in the criminal case in which the two are charged with stealing more than 6.3bn/- from the EPA account.
Johnson has already appeared at the Kisutu court on similar charges and has since been languishing in remand prison after failing to meet bail conditions.
Court officials said the Lukaza brothers were also remanded in prison after failing to meet bail conditions where they were required to each deposit in court 1.575bn/- in cash and secure two reliable sureties, who could sign a bond of 1bn/- each.
The arraignment of the three additional accused persons yesterday brings the number of people facing criminal charges in connection with the EPA scandal to 20.
However, speculation remains rampant over whether or not powerful forces between Kagoda Agriculture Limited will finally be arraigned in court.
Kagoda received illegal payments of over $30.8m (approx. 40bn/-) from the BoT, equivalent to almost half of the more than 90bn/- stolen from the key central bank account during 2005/06 through the use of forged documents.
Two virtually unknown individuals - John Kyomuhendo and Francis William are listed as directors in the company’s official documents.
However, investigators have since linked the stolen funds to two prominent businessmen.
Businessmen Ajay Suryakant Somani and Jai Chhotalal Somani, who own several petrol stations in Dar es Salaam plus other notable investments, were charged with conspiracy, fraud and theft of a total of 5,912,901,643.64/- from the key BoT account during 2005/06.
The colourful Somani brothers are alleged to have forged various legal documents (deeds of assignment) purporting to show that their company, Liquidity Services Limited, had been assigned the debts of the government to a foreign company, Society Alsacienne de Construction de Machines Textiles.
According to prosecutors, Ajay and Jai Somani conspired with other unknown people between December 2003 and October 2005 to steal the stated amount of money from the central bank using forged documents.
The charge sheet reveals that the two brothers were illegally paid by the BoT more than 5.9bn/- on September 2, 2005, on the basis of fraud.
The Somani brothers, who pleaded ’not guilty’, were remanded in prison after failing to meet tough bail conditions, which required each of them to deposit in court a staggering 1.478bn/- and secure two reliable sureties.
The criminal case against the two siblings was adjourned until November 25 when their indictment comes up for mentioning.
Meanwhile, Mwesiga Rutakyamilwa Lukaza, was also arraigned in court yesterday to face multiple counts of conspiracy, fraud and theft charges in connection with the EPA scandal.
Mwesiga joined his brother, prominent businessman Johnson Lukaza, in the criminal case in which the two are charged with stealing more than 6.3bn/- from the EPA account.
Johnson has already appeared at the Kisutu court on similar charges and has since been languishing in remand prison after failing to meet bail conditions.
Court officials said the Lukaza brothers were also remanded in prison after failing to meet bail conditions where they were required to each deposit in court 1.575bn/- in cash and secure two reliable sureties, who could sign a bond of 1bn/- each.
The arraignment of the three additional accused persons yesterday brings the number of people facing criminal charges in connection with the EPA scandal to 20.
However, speculation remains rampant over whether or not powerful forces between Kagoda Agriculture Limited will finally be arraigned in court.
Kagoda received illegal payments of over $30.8m (approx. 40bn/-) from the BoT, equivalent to almost half of the more than 90bn/- stolen from the key central bank account during 2005/06 through the use of forged documents.
Two virtually unknown individuals - John Kyomuhendo and Francis William are listed as directors in the company’s official documents.
However, investigators have since linked the stolen funds to two prominent businessmen.
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