Cast Anti-Graft Net Wider

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

24 May 2011

editorial

One of the External Payment Areas (EPA) account scandal trials ended on Monday, with the jailing of two men for five years each.The trial had dragged on for three years before the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam passed its verdict.

The conviction is a triumph for the anti-corruption campaign, even though it still raises queries about the conduct of criminal cases in Tanzania. This one may have been concluded, but there are several other EPA cases still pending. Of course, everybody is aware of the adage, justice delayed is justice denied.

The two may have been jailed for the fraud in which Sh1.8 billion was siphoned from the EPA account, but there are others out there, who are enjoying life with not a worry in the world despite having stolen billions of shillings in taxpayers’ money.

Questions have been asked about the fictitious companies used to channel funds from government coffers and into the pockets of a few well-connected individuals. What is stopping the State from prosecuting these people? What about those who caused the government losses amounting to tens of billions of shillings after entering into questionable contracts?

There should be no sacred cows in the war against corruption and, especially the theft of public funds. We cannot afford to have people who are untouchable, on the one hand, and those who are expendable, on the other.

AllAfrica – All the Time