Trader walks free in Lukuvi bribery case
Dar es Salaam. The Ilala Magistrate’s Court yesterday set free businessman Mohamed Kiluwa, 50, after the prosecution failed to prove charges against him.
Mr Kiluwa, who is the director general of Kiluwa Steel Group Co Ltd and Kiluwa Free Processing Zone, was earlier charged at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court for allegedly trying to bribe minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development William Lukuvi on July 16, this year, in Dar es Salaam.
The businessman was alleged to have attempted to give the minister $40,000 (Sh90 million) to facilitate acquisition of a plot of land on which he was planning to start an investment. The judgement was passed by resident magistrate Samuel Obasi.
“The evidence from prosecution was emotional. As a result, the court has failed to find Mr Kiluwa guilty of the charges which were laid against him,” said Mr Obasi.
The prosecution had brought six witnesses including the minister.
Speaking when presenting his testimony, Mr Lukuvi claimed that he was called and told the aforementioned amount of money would be sent to his office.
The minister told the court that he was aware of plans to construct industries at Mlandizi in Kibaha, adding that one of the owners of the 1,000-acre land was Mr Kiluwa.
