Fresh details emerge in Former Home Affairs minister Kangi Lugola case

Dar es Salaam. Individuals behind Rom Solutions, the company that was involved in the now collapsed Sh1 trillion deal with the government, are not free after all, it has emerged.

The director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), Brigadier John Mbungo, has told The Citizen that three directors of the company will face charges. Brig Gen Mbungo said it was not true that Rom Solutions had been let off the hook in their investigations. The PCCB boss reiterated that the private company had not escaped criminal culpability.

“PCCB did not apportion blame in the investigation. Directors of the company and government officials were both involved,” he told The Citizen yesterday in a telephone interview.

He said all the suspects found wanting in the process leading to the signing of the deal will face charges as approved by the office of the director of public prosecution. Brig Gen Mbungo was reacting to the story in The Citizen on Sunday in which questions were raised over the possibility that Rom Solutions which claims Romanian links may escape unscathed.

PCCB’s investigation found 17 government officials, including former Home Affairs minister Kangi Lugola and the head of the Fire and Rescue Force, Mr Thobias Andengenye, culpable of economic sabotage charges. The agency indicated it had closed the investigation and forwarded the file to the DPP’s office for further action.

But yesterday Brig Gen Mbungo said it was not official that investigations were completed. “Who told you that the 17 suspects do not include Rom Solutions directors?” he queried.

The PCCB boss further explained that President John Magufuli’s revelation of the deal between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Rom Solutions was taken as an order and directive for the agency to immediately carry out conclusive investigations.

“Investigations found mistakes between all the government officials and Rom Solutions who will all be taken to court as they are all accused,” explained Brig Gen Mbungo. He said the fact that the company wrote an official letter to the government withdrawing from the deal when investigations commenced did not remove them from criminal liability.

Brig Gen Mbungo said the type of charges to be preferred against the suspects will be decided by the DPP.