ACACIA MINING PLC IN CORRUPTION SCANDAL INVOLVING SENIOR OFFICIAL AT NORTH MARA GOLD MINE IN TANZANIA

Two Acacia mine, North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania, has been hit with serious corruption scandal involving its two senior officials at North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania. The officials are accused to bribe Government official and politicians in Tanzania so as to induce them to obtain favour against the interests of villagers and the Government in Mara Region.  

The Acacia official working with North Mara Mining in Tanzania  (NMML) (Marteen Van Der, Johanness Jensen) were on 10 October, 2018 brought before Tarime Resident Magistrate’s Court  being charged for serious corruption offences under the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act, No. 11 of 2007. The accused in the case are MARTEEN VAN DER (Finance Superintendent, North Mara Gold Mine), JOHANNESS JENSEN (Land Manager, North Mara Gold Mine) JOSEPH THOMAS KLERUU, BOMBOGA CHIKACHAKE, TANZANIA OMTIMA AND ABEL Kinyimari.

1. One MARTEEN VAN DER WELF in conjugation with  JOHANNESS JENSEN VAN VUUREN on 17th May, 2013 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office  within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Finance Superintendent and land Manager of North Mara Gold Mine respectively, did corruptly give and advantage of Tshs 93,896,000 to Adam Yusuph Principal Government Valuer and Chair of the Taskforce charged with overseeing the land valuation process for expansion of North Mara Gold Mine as an inducement so that he could favour them in valuation process for the expansion of North Mara Gold Mine.

2. One MARTEEN VAN DER WELF in conjugation with  JOHANNESS JENSEN VAN VUUREN on 17th May, 2013 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office  within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Finance Superintendent and land Manager of North Mara Gold Mine respectively, did corruptly give and advantage of Tshs 30,000, 000 to Peter Elias Mrema  Principal Government Valuer for inducement so that he could favour them in valuation process for expansion of North Mara Gold Mine.

3. One PETER ELIAS MREMA on 17th May, 2013 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office  within Tarime District in Mara Region being a government valuer in the Ministry of Lands and Human Settlement did corruptly obtain for himself and advantage of Tshs 30,000, 000 from JOHANNESS JENSEN VAN and MARTEEN VAN DER WELF  as an inducement so that he could favour them in valuation process for expansion of North Mara Gold Mine.

4. That one JOSEPH THOMAS KLERUU on diverse date between 02nd May 2013 and 06th day of June 2013 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office  within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Principal Government Valuer and Government Advisor on all land valuation matters did corruptly obtain  a consultancy service contract for conducting land valuation on land acquisition in respect of the expansion of North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) worth USD 245,650.75 from North Mara Gold Mine Limited (NMGM) as an inducement so that he could favor them in valuation of land which facilitated compensation to remove villagers who reside besides North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) the matter which is related to his principal’s affairs.

5. That one JOSEPH THOMAS KLERUU on diverse date between 12th September 2013 and 20th day of November 2013 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Principal Government Valuer and Government advisor on all land valuation matters did corruptly obtain Deed of variation for consultancy service contract for conducting  land valuation on land acquisition in respect of the expansion of North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) worth USD 681,572.00 from North Mara Gold Mine Limited (NMGM) as an inducement so that he could favor them in valuation of land which facilitated compensation to remove villagers who reside besides North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) the matter which is related to his  principal’s affairs.

6. That one JOSEPH THOMAS KLERUU on 29 day of November 2011 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office  within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Principal Government Valuer and Government advisor on all land valuation matters did corruptly obtain  consultancy service contract for conducting land valuation in respect of piece of land belonging to the family of MR Kihinda from North Mara Gold Mine Limited (NMGM) as an inducement so that he could help them to acquire the area for expansion of  their North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) the matter which is related to his principal’s affairs.

7. That one JOSEPH THOMAS KLERUU on 7th day of March 2012 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office within Tarime District in Mara Region being a Principal Government Valuer and Government advisor on all land valuation matters did corruptly obtain a consultancy service contract for conducting land valuation of Farm No 190 located in Tarime District from North Mara Gold Mine Limited (NMGM) as an inducement so that he could help them to acquire the area for expand of their North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) the matter which is related to his principal’s affairs.

8. One  Abel Mnyakibari on diverse dates between January 2013 and December, 2017 at North Mara Gold Mining office within Tarime District,. Being and Chairpesron of Nyakunguru Village corruptly obtained a sum of Tshs. 966,687,343 from Nortyh Mara Gold Mine as inducement so that he could deal with errant villagers and he refused to pay other villagers their dues in terms of compensation. On different ground.

9. One on diverse dates between January 2010 and December 2015 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office within Tarime District in Mara Region being Kewanja Village Chairman did corruptly obtain for himself an advantage of sum of Tshs 90,251,475/= from North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) as an inducement so that he could refrain  from making follow up of compensation of more than 800 villagers of Kewanja Village for their land taken by North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) matter which is related to his principal’s affairs.

10. One BOGOMBA RASHIDI CHICHAKE  and TANZANIA O’MTIMA on diverse dates between January 2006 and May, 2018 at North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) office within Tarime District in Mara Region being Councilor for Kemambo Ward and Managing Director  and Shareholder of Mara Kaskazini Enterprises did corruptly obtain tenders worth Tshs 7,709,575,914.19/= and Tshs.1,102, 880.81 from North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) as an inducement so that Nyabigena Primary School will not be transferred from Mrwambe area to Mgema area hence North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) will construct the school in a very low cost matter which is related to the principal affairs.

11. North Mara Gold Mine is a combined open pit and underground gold mine in the Tarime District of the Mara Region of Tanzania. It is one of three gold mines Acacia Mining plc, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange, operates in Tanzania, the other two being Bulyanhulu and the Buzwagi Gold Mine.

12. On 4th  July 2017 Acacia Mining plc, a UK based company has initiate an arbitration  dispute in the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) with Tanzania through Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited (“BGML”) and Pangea Minerals Limited (“PML”) to challenge the decision of the Government to ban export of mineral concentrates.  
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