Ekelege did not consult with board, court hears

Dar es Salaam. A prosecution witness yesterday told the court that former Tanzania Bureau of Standard (TBS) director general Charles Ekelege exempted administrative fees to two foreign companies without consulting the TBS board of directors.

Mr Batista Bitao, a lawyer with the bureau, made the statement when he testified as the first prosecution witness in an abuse of position case facing the former TBS boss.

Ekelege is accused of abusing his office and occasioning $42,543 (over Sh68 million) loss to the government when he decided to eliminate 50 per cent administrative fees for two companies.

According to the witness, TBS had signed a partnership with the companies, one based in Dubai and another in Hong Hong to inspect quality of vehicles imported.

Mr Bitao told the court that, according to contract, each company was required to pay 25 per cent administrative fee to TBS. He said the board of directors had never before discussed about eliminating the fees. Led by a prosecutor from the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Ms Janeth Machurya, the witness alleged that, the matter was raised in the June 30, 2011 board of directors meeting.

He said that, in the meeting TBS management, then under Ekelege, submitted a request seeking approval to eliminate the fees for the companies.

According to the witness, the management submitted the request to the board while the exemption had already been effected.

The hearing of the case was adjourned to February 5, this year. Ekelege first appeared in Court on November 8 last year where he denied the charges and was released on bail.