Three men arrested for being in possession of state peacock worth 3.4M

Selemani Beta

Three men appeared at Kisutu resident magistrate court alleged with five charges including being in possession of three state peacock worth Tanzanian shillings 3.4 million

Those men are David Graha, Mohamed Hatibu and Mohamed, they have given economic sabotage charge number 116/2019.

Before Resident Magistrate Vick Mwaikambo, senior state attorney, Faraja Nchimbi, said on 1st June 2015 and October 2019 in Dare salaam city, the accused where involved in unlawful acts of organizing crime gang and conduct peacock business without any permit from respective authorities.

In the second charge, Nchimbi said in mentioned date, the accused where met with peacock worth USD 1,500 equivalent to 3.4 Million, government trophies while they have no permit to own those birds.

Furthermore, October 14 this year at Mikocheni area, Dar es Salaam the suspect Ally caught in possession of  three peacock birds who usually available at Tanzanian state, he obtain them illegally and the fifth charges, the accused Graha and Hatibu in the same date they managed to earn Tsh. 300,000 while they know the source of such amount is from theft of the government trophies

The suspects did not enter plea because the charges, which fall under the Economic and Organized Crime Control Act, can only be tried by the high court. The judge at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, where they appeared, remanded them in custody pending trial.