MORE than 100 witnesses have been lined up to testify in the 780m/- theft case facing 12 former employees of the SGA Security Company.
Apart from that, a total of 101 exhibits would also be presented before the court during the hearing.
The defendants are facing eight charges, including theft by breach of trust contrary to Sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code and money laundering contrary to Sections 12(d) and 13(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Clara Chame and assisted by State Attorney Sylvia Mitanto, stated this in the court on Friday, before the Principal Resident Magistrate, Ramadhani Rugemalira, when the case was called for the preliminary hearing (PH) at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.
The accused in the case number 41/2022 are Menjestu Mselema (44), Tulipo Mwankusye (40), Bernard Machimbo, Joseph Mwatonoka, Juma Mbulinda, Joseph Mpondo alias Khomango, Englibert Masare, Beda Mmali, Kaisi Nasibu, and Godwin Erio, all residents of Dar es Salaam.
Others are Oswald Mselema, John Mkamba, Edes Hyera, and Sylidion Odilo.
Before reading the PH, Advocate Chame reminded them of their charges by reading all eight charges.
Magistrate Rugemalira also set four days in a row to hear the case, from June 26 to June 29, this year.
In the main case, the defendants were accused of conspiring to commit the crime on diverse days between June 1 and June 20, 2020, in Dar es Salaam.
They allegedly stole the money belonging to the SGA Security Company on June 8, 2020, at the National Microfinance Bank (NMB), Mbezi Beach branch.
Mitanto pointed out that, in the third charge, which falls under money laundering and involves twelve accused namely (Mselema, Mwankusye, Machimbo, Mwatonoko, Mbulinda, Mponda, Masore, Mmali, Masibu, Mkamba, Hyra and Odilo).
It is alleged that on diverse days between June 8, 2020, and August 31, 2020, in Dar es Salaam, they obtained part of the stolen money knowingly that the money was generated from the offense of theft.
According to her, the fourth and fifth charges are also money laundering charges against a single accused (Mwankusye), who is alleged to have spent the money in different areas of Makambako in Njombe Region.
