Thursday, 18 August 2011 22:53

The Citizen Correspondent

http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/4-national-news/13869-prisons-tasked-to-guard-money-laundering-man.html

Arusha. Police has asked the Prisons Department to take over the responsibility of guarding a prominent Arusha lawyer, Mr Medium Mwale, who is facing 13 charges of economic sabotage, forgery and money laundering.

The application comes only a day after fresh charges were made  against Mr Mwale, who has been admitted to Mount Meru Regional Hospital.The regional police commander Thobias Andengenye, said yesterday that they have written to the Prison Department to take over the responsibility as the accused has formally been remanded after the charges were read to him.

“We have asked our colleagues to come so that we can hand over the accused to them because legally we are responsible for suspects only... once one has been formally charged, he is turned over to the Prisons Department,” he said.On Wednesday, 13 charges were read against Mr Mwale. The charges include economic sabotage, forgery and money laundering through which he allegedly obtained Sh18 billion fraudulently.

The charges were read by a state attorney, Mr Fredrick Manyanda, at Mt Meru Hospital where Mr Mwale was admitted a few days ago after the court directed that fresh charges be prepared after the first charge sheet was found technically defective.

Before a senior resident magistrate and the prosecutor claimed that on diverse dates, the accused transferred funds to various companies and individuals including Oliva Green, Nyamao Mbeche Hollo, Gregg Motachwa, Ogembo Meetchel, John Adam and Mosoto  Haye.

The court heard that the accused was moving the money through various companies and individuals before they were finally deposited in his account which had a total of Sh18 billion.