Kenya today returned 35.34Kgs of gold and Ksh15,610,310 stolen from Tanzania, for prosecution evidence following a bank heist in Tanzania in 2004.
The amount and the gold was stolen on May 25, 2004 from Tanzania’s NBC bank in Moshi, in denominations of US Dollars, Kentan shillings and Tanzanian shillings. A total of USD77,500, Ksh171,600,000 and Tsh170,000,000 was stolen from the bank, as staffers were locked up in a safe.
The gold stolen is approximated at Ksh168 million, according to the Gold Price website.
The main suspect Patrick Ayisi Ngoi was arrested in Kenya with the wealth, and was repatriated to Tanzania for prosecution in January this year.
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Led by Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Monica Juma and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji, the government said it was fulfilling an agreement between Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Tanzania counterpart John Pombe Magufuli.
“Rais (John Magufuli) tumekuja hapa kutimiza maamuzi baina yako na Rais Kenyatta. Tukifanya kazi pamoja tunafanikiwa. Tukifanya kazi pamoja tunapata nafasi ya kupanua uchumi, usalama, na kuishi maisha bora zaidi. (We are here to fulfill deliberations between you and President Kenyatta. If we work together, we succeed. If we work together, we get a chance to expand our economy, peace and living a better life),” said CS Juma.
The exercise was witnessed by Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli, minister for foreign affairs and east African Community Prof John Aidan Mwaluko and Tanzania’s Director of Public Prosecutions Swalo Mganga among others.
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President Magufuli however expressed distaste with Tanzanian security apparatus for neglecting duty and allowing the stolen goods to be transported out of the country.
“The goods were transported from Mwanza. There are many questions to ask, when the goods were being transported, where were Tanzanian security apparatus. Did they collaborate with the accused or did they neglect duty? How much gold has been transported (illegally from Tanzania) without suspects being arrested? I leave it to you. You might be working well, but there is something you need to improve,” said Magufuli.
Magufuli said that he would write an official letter to hail Kenya’s security apparatus for the good job. He also promised that he would reward the Kenya security personnel who arrested the suspects before they exported the gold to Dubai.
Magufuli even tried to call President Kenyatta while addressing the delegation to thank him for helping return the wealth.
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