Drama was the word among onlookers as hundreds of thousands shilling packed in two bags were impounded by police in a hotel in Dodoma municipality, allegedlydestined for distribution to members of the CCM general congress and higher party organs.
The hotel is situated in Kisasa area where the money was found in the hands of Quality Group employee Amit Kevarami, holding an Indian passport M1470774. The precise amount of impounded cash was not imediately established but witnesses say police counted the money as they impounded it, and reached the figure of Sh725,205,000 on the spot.
The money was in Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 banknotes in bundles of Sh10m each. Police officers as well as those of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) were involved in the surprise move.
Eyewitnesses said police agents started quizzing what the Quality Group employee was doing, as he shifted massive bags one after another taking them to a waiting car outside the hotel, a Toyota Land Cruiser T687 ANQ. In the hotel is largely accommodating national conference members as well as those of the National Executive Committee of the ruling party.It is said that the cash was being sent to the camp of one of the five approved aspirants being presented before NEC, after being approved by the Central Committee on Friday night. On the arrested employee’s mobile phone there were SMS from his employer, billionaireYusuf Manji who allegedly has business association with some prominent camps in the ruling party.
The employee was conversing in English and some halting Kiswahili, when he realised that he was being arrested, attempted to get a lady officer to take one bag with money, which she refused and called other people to witness the scene.
Among those earmarked to receive the casgh was a member of Parliament from one Dar es Salaam region constituency who would have received Sh10m and sign the payment voucher. Others set to benefit from the distribution of the cash are two deputy ministers, one receiving Sh15m and another Sh10m.
Apart from the trader being arrested by police, a driver from Ngatuni Traders, Rashid Nkungu, who was hired by a Quality Group employee, told reporters that he went to receive (those bearing the cash) at the airport here at around 7.30 in the morning.
He said the Quality Group official (bearing the cash) was accompanied by three other individuals, all of them Asians.“These Indians hired a car at our office. I am a driver and received them at the airport and brought them here at St Gaspar (Hotel). They had their bags from the airport up to this place, four of them,” Nkungu said.
He also said out of the four, he could recognise one of them as Yusuf Manji and later he took them from the hotel to go to the CRDB Bank, Dodoma branch. He said he took to the bank three of them and later came back for two more one of them remaining at the bank.When they reached the hotel the passengers took one of their colleagues and then proceeded to Dodoma airport.
The hotel is situated in Kisasa area where the money was found in the hands of Quality Group employee Amit Kevarami, holding an Indian passport M1470774. The precise amount of impounded cash was not imediately established but witnesses say police counted the money as they impounded it, and reached the figure of Sh725,205,000 on the spot.
The money was in Sh5,000 and Sh10,000 banknotes in bundles of Sh10m each. Police officers as well as those of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) were involved in the surprise move.
Eyewitnesses said police agents started quizzing what the Quality Group employee was doing, as he shifted massive bags one after another taking them to a waiting car outside the hotel, a Toyota Land Cruiser T687 ANQ. In the hotel is largely accommodating national conference members as well as those of the National Executive Committee of the ruling party.It is said that the cash was being sent to the camp of one of the five approved aspirants being presented before NEC, after being approved by the Central Committee on Friday night. On the arrested employee’s mobile phone there were SMS from his employer, billionaireYusuf Manji who allegedly has business association with some prominent camps in the ruling party.
The employee was conversing in English and some halting Kiswahili, when he realised that he was being arrested, attempted to get a lady officer to take one bag with money, which she refused and called other people to witness the scene.
Among those earmarked to receive the casgh was a member of Parliament from one Dar es Salaam region constituency who would have received Sh10m and sign the payment voucher. Others set to benefit from the distribution of the cash are two deputy ministers, one receiving Sh15m and another Sh10m.
Apart from the trader being arrested by police, a driver from Ngatuni Traders, Rashid Nkungu, who was hired by a Quality Group employee, told reporters that he went to receive (those bearing the cash) at the airport here at around 7.30 in the morning.
He said the Quality Group official (bearing the cash) was accompanied by three other individuals, all of them Asians.“These Indians hired a car at our office. I am a driver and received them at the airport and brought them here at St Gaspar (Hotel). They had their bags from the airport up to this place, four of them,” Nkungu said.
He also said out of the four, he could recognise one of them as Yusuf Manji and later he took them from the hotel to go to the CRDB Bank, Dodoma branch. He said he took to the bank three of them and later came back for two more one of them remaining at the bank.When they reached the hotel the passengers took one of their colleagues and then proceeded to Dodoma airport.