Court orders prosecution to take Sethi to MNH

THE Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court in Dar es Salaam yesterday ordered the prosecution to take to Muhimbili National Hospital for treatment prominent businessmen Harbinder Sethi, who is facing a 350bn/- economic sabotage trial, following deterioration of his health condition.

Principal Resident Magistrate Huruma Shaidi gave the order when the trial came for mention. During the session, the prosecution led by an officer with the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Leonard Swai, informed the court that investigations into the matter are still incomplete.

He disclosed that the prosecution was still waiting for some evidence from abroad and that they have not taken cautioned statements from the businessman. He, therefore, requested the court to adjourn the trial to another date, pending completion of the investigations.

It was at that point in time when Sethi, who is facing the trial jointly with his co-businessman, James Rugemalira, rose up with great difficulty and informed the court that his condition is in a bad state and thus, he was required to be in hospital.

Mr. Swai responded, saying that the accused was supposed to follow the right procedure given by the prison authorities in order for him to be treated. However, the magistrate trashed such line of argument, saying the physical appearance of the accused signaled that he was indeed a sick person. “I therefore, order that he (accused) be taken to Muhimbili National Hospital for treatment,” the magistrate ordered.

He adjourned the trial to April 11, for another mention. In the trial, the two businessmen are facing 12 counts of conspiracy, leading organized crime, forgery, uttering a false document, obtaining money by false pretences, occasioning loss to a specified authority and money laundering. Between October 18, 2011 and March 19, 2014, at various places in Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and various places in the Republic of Kenya, South Africa and the Republic of India, jointly and together, they allegedly conspired to commit an offence of obtaining money by false pretenses.

Within the same period in the city of Dar es Salaam, the prosecution alleged, being not public officials but in collusion with public officers, all the accused persons intentionally and knowingly managed, financed and furthered the objectives of a criminal racket with intent to reap profit or other benefit.

Between November 29, 2013 and January 23, 2014 at Stanbic Bank Limited, Centre Branch in Kinondoni district and at Mkombozi Commercial Bank PLC, St. Joseph Branch in Ilala district, by false pretences, all the accused persons obtained 22,198,544.60 US dollars and 309,461,300,158/27/-.

The court heard further that on November 29, 2013 at Stanbic Bank Limited, Centre Branch in Kinondoni District, by their willful acts, jointly and together, Sethi and Rugemalira caused the government of the United Republic of Tanzania to suffer a pecuniary loss of the said amount.