Tanzanite dealer escapes prison, pays 10 million Tanzania Shillings fine

THIRTY-year-old businesswoman Neema Philemon Manga escaped jail after paying fine following her arraignment for unlawful exportation of tanzanite worth 64,700 US dollars (about 141m/).

Principal Resident Magistrate Cyprian Mkeha convicted Manga of her own plea of guilty and sentenced her to either pay 10m/-fine or go to jail for three years. Manga had to escape the custodian sentence having managed to pay the fine in question.

State Attorney Batrida Moshi, for the prosecution, had told the court that the businesswoman committed the offence on November 6, this year, at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Ilala District.

The accused person was found unlawfully exporting 42 pieces of Tanzanite minerals weighing 336.60 carats, valued at 64,700 US dollars, which is equivalent to 141,822,400/-, the property of the United Republic of Tanzania without authorized permit.

Manga’s arraignment comes just a month after three other people, including a Romanian national, George Ciucanui, were brought before the same court charged with three counts, notably illegal exportation of minerals and occasioning 33m/-loss to the government. Charged along Ciucanui were Naomi Mbwana, a resident of Mbezi Beach and Nassor Shaban, who resides at Tabata Kimanga.

The prosecution had alleged that on September 28, this year, at Dar es Salaam port in Ilala District, the accused persons were found in possession of 3,234.25 kgs of copper cathode and cobalt concentration worth 33.138m/-, without a mineral dealers or mineral broker’s license.

Furthermore, it was alleged that on diverse dates between January 1 and September 28, 2016, at the port, the accused exported the minerals from Tanzania to Mombasa. According to the prosecution, by their willful acts, the accused caused the Ministry of Energy and Minerals to suffer a loss of33.138m/-.

It was reported that rampant smuggling of minerals from Tanzania is costing the country 2.7 million US dollars in lost revenue every year.

Between July 2012 and December 2015, Tanzanian authorities foiled 87 smuggling attempts of minerals, through its airports and porous borders, intercepting about 2,870kg of metals and saving the state 9.4 million US dollars.

source: Daily News