Police free aide to Tanzania presidential candidate Bernard Membe

Tanzanian Bernard Membe, who is ACT-Wazalendo’s presidential candidate and a former Foreign Affairs minister, during a past event.

Photo credit: File | The Citizen

What you need to know:

  • Jerome Luanda was apprehended at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on arrival from Dubai, where he had gone with his boss on private business.
  • Mr Lazaro Mambosasa, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, on Monday confirmed Mr Luanda’s release alongside a person connected to the charges he is facing.

An aide to Tanzanian presidential candidate Bernard Membe has been released on bail following his arrest last Tuesday on allegations of money laundering.

Jerome Luanda was apprehended at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on arrival from Dubai, where he had gone with his boss on private business.

Mr Lazaro Mambosasa, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, on Monday confirmed Mr Luanda’s release alongside an unidentified person connected to the charges he is facing.

“They are required to report to the Central Police Station on September 22 as investigations continue,” Mr Mambosasa told The Citizen by phone.

“They have been released because they cannot interfere with the ongoing investigation. Most required details have been obtained,” he said.

He added that the decision on whether to arraign them will depend on the findings of the probe.

Following Mr Luanda’s release, Mr Membe tweeted on Monday, saying  “I’m happy to inform the general public that at last my assistant Jerome Luanda was freed by police at 4pm today after being satisfied that he isn’t concerned with money laundering claims and any other charges. Thanks, advocate Peter Kibatala for following up on this issue to the end”.

Second suspect

Mr Membe, ACT-Wazalendo’s presidential candidate and a former Foreign Affairs minister, earlier denied reports that police were holding another one of his aides.

“Fellow Tanzanians, information that another aide of mine is being held by police is not true. I don’t have any aide, relative or friend who is being held by the police apart from Jerome Luanda,” he wrote on Twitter.

His denial came after Mr Mambosasa on Saturday said police were holding two of the former minister’s aides.

The police commander did not reveal the identity of the second one but said they were both being questioned over money laundering.

“We have added another aide who is also facing charges similar to those of his colleague,” he said.

Asked about the second suspect on Monday, the police boss said he has “issues connecting him to the charges even though Mr Membe denies knowing him."