Tanzanian prosecutor investigating BAE “dirty deal” ‘feared for life’: Wikileaks

DODOMA - Edward Hoseah, the Tanzanian prosecutor investigating a “dirty deal” by BAE to sell Tanzania an overpriced radar system, told US diplomats that “his life may be in danger,” according to secret US diplomatic cables released by the whistleblower website ‘Wikileaks’.

“Hoseah reiterated concern for his personal security … saying he believed his life may be in danger … He had received threatening text messages and letters and was reminded every day that he was fighting the ‘rich and powerful’,” the Guardian quoted the cable, as saying.

BAE, Britain’s biggest arms company, would appear in court in London today were their system of making secret payments to secure arms contracts would be officially detailed for the first time.

Every individual involved in the BAE scandal in Britain and Tanzania has escaped prosecution.

However the arms giant agreed with the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to pay 30 million pounds in corporate reparations and fines, provided the word “corruption” did not appear on the indictment because it could exclude the company from EU contracts.

The paper quoted the cable as saying that Hoseah met a US diplomat, Purnell Delly, in Dar es Salaam in July 2007, and claimed that he would be able to prosecute guilty individuals in the BAE case.

“He called the deal ‘dirty’ and said it involved officials from the Ministry of Defence and at least one or two senior level military officers.” it added.

Later Hoseah appeared quite disappointed with the prospects for Tanzania’s anti-corruption struggle and his hopes to prosecute the “big fish” of corruption.

Referring to the detailed allegations against former leaders and their inner circles in the small African country, the cable said: He told us point blank … that cases against the Prime Minister or the president were off the table …,” adding that Hoseah found these senior politicians “untouchable”.

“He said quietly: ‘If you attend meetings of the inner-circle, people want you to feel as if they have put you there. If they see that you are uncompromising, there is a risk,’ ” it added. (ANI)