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Yono bribery scandal: Official defends workers
2006-03-27 09:05:29
By Pastory Nguvu
All parties caught in the mire of corruption should be brought before justice without favourism, a top official of Yono Auction Mart and Company limited said yesterday in a thinly veiled attack against the Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB) in Kilimanjaro Region.
The company’s Deputy Director Scolastica Christian was reacting on the arrest of some of her workers in Kilimanjaro by PCB on bribery allegations.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam at the weekend she said givers and receivers of bribes should be equally treated.
Last week, the company’s workers- Bakari Juma, Amani Ngaile, Mathias Nyange, Juma Bakari, Braison Terri and Samweli Mwakasege, were arrested for allegedly receiving 25,000/- bribe, according to PCB Kilimanjaro regional boss Hamza Mwendwa.
Christian said her company was not against the arrest of its employees but called for PCB to uncover the whole truth.
She said she read about the incident in one of the dailies last week and immediately got in touch with his firm’s Kilimanjaro regional office.
’Our branch manager, Jane Kiwango game me her side of the story,’ she said.
The workers had found a fuso parked at the wrong place in Moshi municipality, which they decided to impound.
After it was impounded the driver of the vehicle was informed he had to pay 50,000/- fine to Moshi Municipal Council.
’The driver pleaded with our workers to release the vehicle without informing the owner-his employer. In fact he asked our employees to help him as he didn’t have the money to settle the fine,’ she said.
’The good hearted workers came to his rescue. He was told to pay 1,500/- he had in cash and leave his mobile phone.
After raising the balance he would pay and collect back his phone,’ she said.
’On March 23 the man bailed out called a Yono Auction Mart employee.
He said he had raised half the amount and they arranged for a meeting, where he gave 25,000/- to Kadogoo, our driver.
Kadogoo took the amount and asked the Fuso driver to go for receipt in our offices.
No sooner did the fuso driver leave the precincts, PCB officials arrived at our offices and arrested about six of our employees.’
Christian said that she does not oppose the action taken by PCB but wondered why the Fuso driver was not arrested.
’I do agree with the step taken by PCB but why have they released the fuso driver? First he was supposed to pay 50,000/- as a fine for improper parking.
Secondly if he gave out 1, 500 and a mobile phone, was it not a a bribe? Both the giver and receiver should be arrested and taken to court,’ she said.
Kilimanjaro regional PCB commander Hamza Mwenda, when contacted said the businessman was supposed to pay 50,000/- and his car was impounded.
He said Yono Auction Mart workers instead of settling the matter as required sought for 25,000/- bribe to end the matter.
’We laid a trap and managed to arrest them,’ said Mwenda.
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