New twist in Namanga 2.5bn/- swindle saga

2004-08-21 08:42:43
By Adam Ihucha, Namanga

Many businessmen who were last week reported to have lost about 2.5bn/- to a conman in the border town of Namanga are khat (mirungi) dealers, The Guardian has learnt.

That is why even after being conned out of the billions by another trader, who they had trusted for many years with their cash, the victims are suffering in silence because khat business is illegal in Tanzania although it is legal in Kenya.

It was thus difficult, if not impossible, for the victims to report the swindler to Tanzanian police because the transactions were illegal and the business was being done on mutual trust, rather than legal basis.

“They victims had to suffer in silence because the business of Khat is illegal in Tanzania, the victims opted to report to Kenya police where the business is legal,” a source who asked not to be named said.

The suspected money swindler who is of Somali origin (name withheld) is reportedly on the run after inflicting the loss to fellow businessmen in the illegal trade.

The swindled traders were from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia and Asian countries. The suspected swindler is said to have fled to Cairo.

According to a victim who preferred to remain anonymous, the suspect left with over USd2.5m, which is over 2.5bn/-. Some of the money belonged to Tanzanian khat traders.

On the mode of their operations, one of the victim explained that the Khat dealers in Tanzania used to give the suspected swindler millions of shillings to purchase the illicit drug in Kenya and thereafter import it to Tanzania using illegal channels.

Meanwhile, Khat is being consumed openly after being illegally imported and distributed in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions.

This is despite the drug being illegal in the country.

Health experts argue that khat is a harmful drug which can cause its users serious mental and physical problems.

Khat trade is highly lucrative to the extent of the plant being dubbed “the green gold”.

And this might be true because one kilogramme of Halele (special khat) from Kenya fetches between 6,000/- and 7,000/-.

The most common and available khat types on the market are Kangeta, Giza, Colombo, Mbaga and Tastasi.

Currently, the drug is freely available at Bondeni, Ngarenaro, Majengo, Mbauda, Makao Mapya, Sinoni, Unga Limited, Esso, Sekei, Mianzini, Kwa Ngulelo, Kijenge and Usa-River suburbs in Arusha. In Moshi, khat business is booming at Uswahilini, Kiusa, Kiborloni, Dar es Salaam Street, Njia Panda areas.

“If no appropriate remedial action is taken sooner, the situation will be reached when we may seek international intervention to curb the illicit trade,” an Arusha resident said.

Arusha Regional Police Commander James Kombe said efforts to combat the illegal drug business were being frustrated because khat was legal in countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.