Where do the plea-bargaining moneys go to?
By James Magai More by this Author  By Hadija Jumanne More by this Author  Dar es Salaam. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said his office was finalising compensation payments from the special accounts that holds monies paid by criminals who plead guilty so that these can be returned to their owners. The special account at the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) was opened by former DPP Biswalo Mganga for the purpose of receiving and keeping monies paid by defendants who plead guilty in accordance with the plea-bargaining agreement between the two parties. However, various stakeholders, including lawyers, have been questioning the amount paid into the account, calling it an individual account and questioning its use. While presenting the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs Budget for the financial year 2021/2022, Cabinet Minister Palamagamba Kabudi said a total of Sh35.07 billion had been paid as penalty by various defendants who confessed to their crimes. In an exclusive interview with Mwananchi on Wednesday, the new DPP, Mr Sylvester Mwakitalu - among other things - spoke about the account and assured the public that the money in it was safe, and he was in the process of releasing it. The government opened an account for depositing the funds which are based on the plea-bargain deals, he said. There is a bit of a challenge to the plea-bargain system, especially the payment of compensation paid into that account. Victims of these crimes have been individuals and institutions.  Related Drama in Tanzania court after 6 Chinese nationals freed  Advertisement  He said that victims of crime have been coming to his office asking how they could get their money back. So, we are finalizing the process of withdrawing the money from the account so that it can be paid to the victims. The moneys which belong to the government would go to the general fund, or the Treasury, he said. Commenting on overcrowding in prisons, he said there are many factors at issue, including suspects charged with misconduct but lacking bail bond - or failing to meet bail conditions and, thus, being remanded in custody. He noted that he was currently reviewing all the files, which contain enough evidence to prove the offense, which he will continue with and that he will ask the court to help hear them soon. Speaking of offenses that do not get bail and the people are in custody if he finds that the available evidence is still insufficient, will decide to drop the charges and leave other charges against them which are bail. Once the investigation is complete and we find evidence then we will continue with it, said DPP Mwakitalu. He said that cases where the investigation will take a long time because there are other cases where the investigation needs time or need to involve other institutions, or need evidence from outside, that they will consult with each other. We can decide to remove them first in court. When we complete the investigation we are satisfied that the investigation is over and we will take it back to court, he added.