Engineers, tour guide re-arraigned on nine economic sabotage charges
DAR ES SALAAM: THREE engineers and a tour guide have been re-arraigned at the Kivukoni Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam on nine counts of economic sabotage, including leading an organised criminal gang and fraudulently obtaining over 300 million shillings from government and private entities.
The accused are Engineer Faustine Malya (44) of Salasala, Nelson Jacob (32) of Kimara Mwisho, Emilian Kimaro (35) of Kibaha and tour guide Tumaini Mollel (32) of Mwanza.
They were recharged after the previous case initially containing eight counts was withdrawn and replaced with new charges that included an additional count of leading an organised criminal gang.
Reading the charges before Resident Magistrate Amos Rweikiza of the Kivukoni Resident Magistrate’s Court in Kinondoni, Dar es Salaam, State Attorney Janeth Kimango, assisted by Burton Mayage, said the accused face nine charges in total.
The prosecution alleged that the offences include four counts of obtaining money by false pretence, four counts of forgery and one count of leading an organised criminal gang. It was alleged that the accused committed the offences between November 5, 2021 and April 14, 2023, within the city of Dar es Salaam.
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According to the prosecution, the accused fraudulently obtained over 300m/- from several entities, including the National Housing Corporation (NHC) Mtwara branch, the Tanga City Council, Skyline Properties Ltd, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Camel Oil Company.
The court heard that the accused secured the funds from projects managed by Sec East African Ltd, a company specialising in the installation of lifts in various buildings.
They allegedly altered the company’s bank account details, substituting them with their own and falsely claimed they had been authorised to collect payments on behalf of the company.
It was further alleged that they accomplished the scheme by forging the signatures of the company’s Director, Tian Chun, the Marketing Director, Ntuli Mwankusye and the Accountant, Gabriel Makundi.
The prosecution also alleged that the four accused jointly led a criminal gang with the intent to defraud and obtain money illegally. After the charges were read, all accused pleaded not guilty.
State Attorney Kimango informed the court that the offences were bailable. The case was adjourned to October 27, 2025, for a preliminary hearing, as investigations had been completed.
Three of the accused managed to meet their bail conditions, while Malya failed and was remanded in custody
