THREE people including two Cameroonians on Wednesday appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court for 16 counts of forgery, uttering false documents, and impersonation.
They are Fru Bertrand (37) and Bellamie Kehndinga (35) all Cameroonians and Mohamed Mrope (42).
All the accused denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Ramadhan Rugemalila. The case was adjourned until January 25, when it will come for another mention.
Reading the charge sheet, State Attorney Grace Mwanga told the court that the accused committed the offenses on diverse dates between August 21 and December 19 last year at Afrique Company Limited offices in Mikochoni B, Kinondoni, in Dar es Salaam.
She alleged that, the accused, with intent to defraud, did make a false document namely a Bill of Lading for ports to ports and intermodal dated December 30, 2022, purporting to show that the said bill was genuinely prepared by Emirates Shipping Line DMCEST to ship refined sunflower oil weighing 112.000 kg, a fact which they knew to be untrue.
In the second count, it is alleged that the accused, with intent to defraud, made a false document, a “certificate of quality” dated December 28, 2022, purporting to show that the said certificate of quality was genuinely prepared by GMK Inspection Co. Ltd. to certify that 112 metric tonnes of refined sunflower were inspected, despite the fact that they knew it to be false.
Assisted by State Attorney Yusuph Aboud, further alleged that the accused also did make a false document, a phytosanitary certificate, purporting to show that the said document was genuinely prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture to certify that 112 metric tonnes of refined sunflower were examined and were found to be substantially free from injurious plant pests, and that consignment is believed to confirm with the current phytosanitary regulations of the important country, the fact they knew to be false.
She claimed that in the 4th count, the accused did make the false document, a fumigation certificate, purporting to show that the said certificate was genuinely prepared by Masaro Company Ltd. to certify that 112 metric tons of refined sunflower were of Helianthus, as the botanical name of the plants.
Similarly, the accused did make the false document to wit certificate of health purporting to show that the said certificate of health was genuinely prepared by the Ministry of Health, Community, Development, Gender, Elderly and Children to certify that 112 metric tons of refined sunflowers originated in Dar es Salaam.
Mwanga explained that, in the 6th count, the accused did make false documents to show that the said Release Order was genuinely prepared by the Tanzania Revenue Authority to release the exportation of 112 metric tons of sunflower from Dar es Salaam port.
The prosecution further noticed that the accused also did make the false document, a “Cash Deposit Slip,” purporting to show that the cash slip was genuinely prepared by Akiba Commercial Bank PLC to confirm the deposit of 56,000 USD in account No. 10908765432 of the Tanzania Chambers of Commerce.
Besides, in the 8th to 14th counts, the trio, on diverse dates between August 21 and December 19, last year, at Afrique Company Limited offices in Mikochoni B, Kinondoni, within the city of Dar es Salaam, knowingly and fraudulently uttered to Abdulsalam Tharavattah a number of documents purporting to show that the said documents were genuinely prepared by various institutions as mentioned on previous counts, a fact which they knew to be untrue.
According to the prosecution, in the 15th count, for the 3rd accused, Bellamie Kehdinga, it is alleged that on diverse dates between August 21 and December 19, last year, within the United Republic of Tanzania, with intent to defraud the public, he did falsely represent himself to be Albert Massawe.
Either, in the last count, the accused alleged obtaining money by false pretenses, contrary to Section 302 of the Penal Code. it is alleged that the trio did obtain USD 16,800 from Al Jawareh Oasis Food Stuff Trading Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by falsely pretending to sell sunflower oil, a fact they knew to be untrue.
Led by defense lawyer Addriaty Kimea, the trio denied all the charges and was remanded for failure to meet bail conditions.
