Ex-Tanesco CEO, wife in court

FORMER Managing Director of Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) William Mhando, his wife Eva and three other employees of the utility firm appeared before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam charged with abuse of office and forgery.

All the accused denied the charges in respect of an 884m/- contract for supply of office stationery. With the Mhando couple in the dock were France Mchalange and Sophia Misidai, both principal accountants and Naftali Kisinga, a supplies officer.

Senior Resident Magistrate Frank Moshi granted them bail subject to each of the accused persons securing two reliable sureties who may be working in government offices or any other reputable institution.

Each of the surety was required to sign a bond of 8m/-. The magistrate also restrained the accused persons from leaving the jurisdiction of the court without permission. The prosecution informed the court that investigations into the matter were complete.

A prosecutor from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Mr Leonard Swai, told the court that between April 1 and December 31, 2011, at Tanesco headquarters in Dar es Salaam, being employed as Managing Director, Mhando abused his position in the course of discharging his duties.

He is alleged to have failed to declare his interest over Santa Clara Supplies Company Limited, a company whose directors are his wife, Eva and his children, an act which caused the said company to be awarded a contract of supplying stationery to Tanesco valued at 884,550,000/-.

The PCCB prosecutor claimed that such act was in violation of the Tanesco Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Public leadership Code of Ethics Act, thereby making the said Clara Company to obtain an undue advantage of 31,747,000/-.

Between January 6 and July 30, 2011, at unknown places in the city, with intent to defraud or deceive, Eva allegedly forged an audit financial report of her company for 2007/8, purporting to show that Finx Capital House audited the balance sheet of the company as at December 2010, while it was untrue.

On August 9, 2011 in the city, with intent to defraud or deceive, Eva allegedly forged a transfer of shares or stock document, purportedly showing she has transferred her 200 ordinary shares of 10,000/- in the undertaking called Santa Clara Supplies Company Limited to Eveta John Shing’oma, while it was untrue.

The prosecution told the court that on August 5, 2011, at Tanesco Headquarters, knowingly and fraudulently, Mhando’s wife uttered to the Secretary of the Tanesco Tender Board, the said audit report of Santa Clara Company.

It is alleged that between April 1 and October 31, 2011 in Dar es Salaam, being the Managing Director of Santa Clara Company, and with intent to defraud, Eva allegedly obtained 31,747,000/- from Tanesco through supply of office stationery after submitting the alleged false documents.

The prosecution alleged that Mhando’s wife had purported to show that her company had met pre-qualifications for a tender to supply office stationery, printing and computer consumables for the year 2011 to Tanesco.

On October 17, 2011, at Tanesco Headquarters in Dar es Salaam, being employees of the company and being members of the evaluation committee for the tender in question for the supply of stationery, Mchalange, Misidai and Kisinga, allegedly abused their positions in discharging their duties.

It is alleged that the trio gave false information to the Tender Board, purporting to show that Santa Clara Company was a qualified bidder of the tender, an act which caused the company to be awarded the contract in violation of the law, thereby making it to obtain the said advantage of 31m/-.

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