Committee uncovers funds siphoning network

DODOMA: TEN public servants have been implicated in a network of public fund transfer contrary to procedures at Kigoma Ujiji Municipal Council.

That is according to an investigation report on the allegations of embezzlement of funds at the municipal council submitted to Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa in Dodoma on Wednesday.

“I have received the report and recommendations by the committee … swift measures should be taken because President Samia Suluhu Hassan is soliciting funds for development but there a few people siphoning them,” said Mr Majaliwa.

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He said every public servant must take care and properly coordinate the spending of available funds.

The Premier also directed Ministers and Permanent Secretaries not to be satisfied with reports they are given when inspecting development projects, adding despite having experts who give the correct information there were some dishonest servants who play some tricks.

While in Kigoma last month, PM received the report about the embezzlement of funds that happened in the council. He said  the government would constitute and deploy a special investigation team to probe the network of dishonest public servants who embezzle the government funds.

“The municipality receives funds and kept in the account for a while and then they disappear without being knowing how the monies have been spent … I will bring an investigation team here to make follow up and go to the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG)), so that we can trace the entire chain,” Mr Majaliwa emphasised.

Earlier, while giving the report, Chairman of the investigation team, Shedrack Kimaro, said the team found that the diversion of the funds is done using several methods, including requesting for a permission from the Treasury for transferring the remaining balance for projects  to the next financial year   when the respective  financial year is coming to an  end.

“The investigation team has found that 463.59m/- was transferred to Kigoma Municipal Council and was not in the plan even in the budget of the Municipality and was never requested as an additional budget,” he added.

He further highlighted the names of the public servants involved in the embezzlement of funds as Mr Ferdinand Simon Filimbi, Mr Salum Juma Said, Mr Kombe Salum Kabichi , Mr Athumani Francis Msabila.

Others are Mr Moses Charles Zahuye, Ms Jema Linus Mbilinyi, Eng Joel Langford Shirima, Mr Aidan Zabron Mponzi, Ms Tumsifu Christopher Kachira and Mr Elder Mohamed Ubwa.

According to the investigation committee’s chairman those who were involved are expected to be brought to court at any time.

Besides the embezzlement involving the employees of Kigoma Municipal Council, the Chairman said there are also officers from (PO-RALG), Treasury and some businessmen who are used to authorise the transactions.d

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