A fisheries officer at a National Service camp, Selemani Isanzu Chasama (50), has once again been charged with exportation of government trophies.
In the latest case, he is alleged to have exported 781 pieces of elephant tusks worth more than 9bn/-. Chasama, a civilian who lives at Mbezi Makabe, but works at a National Service camp, was brought before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam to face the charge.
He was not allowed to enter any plea to the charge because his case will be tried by the High Court. The case will be mentioned on July 24, as investigations, according to the prosecution led by Senior State Attorney Tumaini Kweka, have not been completed.
In the previous charge sheet concerning the case in question, there were three people named and linked with the alleged exportation of the government trophies. Apart from Chasama, other persons were Charles Richard Kombe (52) and Betha Charles Kombe (43).
The two were brought at the court on Wednesday to face the charge, but the count was not read over and explained to them because the charge sheet could not be registered as it was brought to the court rather late.
Mr Kweka clarified, thereafter, that the two persons were later dropped from the case, pending further investigations on the matter. “The evidence we have at the moment only links Chasama to the offence. We have decided to drop the two other persons pending further investigations,” he said.
In the case, Chasama is alleged to have committed the offence on May 23, this year, at the border of Tanzania and Malawi. The prosecution alleges that the fisheries officer was found transporting the said pieces of elephant tusks valued at 9.3bn/- without permit.
According to the prosecution, the pieces had been hidden in 30 bags of cement, with the exporter claimed that he was exporting the cement, while in fact it was false.
On Tuesday Chasama was arraigned on a similar count before the same court, accused of being found unlawfully in possession of 347 elephant tusks valued at 2,610,000 US dollars (about 4,249,080,000/- ), property of the government.
The prosecution told the court that the suspect committed the offence on July 4, this year, at Mbezi Makabe in Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam. He was also not allowed to enter any plea to the charge before Senior Resident Magistrate Nyigulila Mwaseba because the case will be tried by the High Court.
By FAUSTINE KAPAMA, Tanzania Daily News
