Former Tanzania’s Ambassador to Italy, Prof Costa Ricky Mahalu (L) and his son, Costa Junior, arrive at Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday where the court postponed the professor’s 2.5bn/- theft case judgement until August 9, this year. (Photo: Khalfan Said)

The Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday adjourned the judgment of the theft case of 2.5bn/- facing former Tanzania’s ambassador to Italy Prof Costa Mahalu and ex-counsellor of the embassy, Grace Martin, until August 9, this year.

Prof Mahalu and Martin are charged with stealing the stated amount of money by forging various documents in purchasing an embassy building in Rome. The two allegedly used two separate contracts in the deal.

The judgment was scheduled to be delivery by resident magistrate Ilvin Mgeta, but resident magistrate Aloyce Katemana adjourned the case because Mgeta was having other official duties.

The judgment will be delivered after both parties concluded testimonies along with their final submission that will either convince the court that accused are guilty or find them guilty.

Prof Mahalu was arraigned in January 2006 along with Martin on charges of conspiracy to steal from the government. The two have denied the charges.

According to charge sheet, the accused used payment voucher number D2/9, bearing false particulars that the purchase price of the Tanzanian embassy building in Rome was Euros 3,098,741.58.

During his defense testimony, Prof Mahalu called one witness retired President Benjamin Mkapa to defend him.