The INSTITUTE for Prevention and Combating Corruption in the country (PAKUKURU) has saved more than Shs 14 billion in investigation and monitoring operations.

The Director General of the institution, Salum Hamduni said this at the State House, Dar es Salaam yesterday when he was presenting the information of the institution for the financial year 2021/2022 in front of President Samia Suluhu Hassan State House, Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Hamduni said through the operation, 14.4 billion Shs and 14,571 US dollars were saved from tax evasion and control of the use of public funds.

"Of those funds, 8.4 billion Shs were saved from tax evasion, 2.6 billion were returned to the intended development projects as well as the funds of citizens who were oppressed by grassroots parties in the regions of Manyara, Rukwa, Katavi, Kigoma, Morogoro, Mtwara, Simiyu, Pwani , Songwe and Mwanza," he said.

Hamduni also said that the PCC investigated and completed 1,188 files, 16 of which involve major corruption cases involving embezzlement in the express bus company (UDART) worth Shs 8 billion and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Shs three billion.

He said another 100 files were completed due to the information of the Auditor and Comptroller General of the Government (CAG), including eight related to the embezzlement of funds of the National Development and Welfare Program and the fight against Covid-19.

He mentioned the other files were 34 related to the case of cooperation with members of the agricultural and marketing cooperative association (AMCOS) Simiyu Region and 23 of the 37 files worth Shs 13.97 billion related to the investigation of projects accused during the Torch of Freedom race of being and acts or indicators of corruption.

He said 201 files related to the investigation of corrupt practices in the collection of income in the council were completed and action was taken.

Hamduni said in the files 468 cases were decided in court and sentences were given, 262 cases equal to 60.26 percent of the accused were found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment and pay fines and 186 cases equal to 39.74 percent of the accused were released.

He said the PCC in collaboration with the national prosecution office opened 646 new cases in the country's courts, including 10 cases of serious corruption opened in the Makahama Kuu Division of Corruption, Economic Harassment (Corrupt Courts).

Hamduni said they also confiscated assets worth Sh2.05 billion.

In addition, he said the PCC continues to implement the instructions of President Samia to prevent corruption before it occurs and in doing so, the investigation revealed the existence of defects in the implementation of the electricity purchase agreement between the Tanzania Electricity Corporation (Tanesco) and the Pan African Energy Petroleum Tanzania company (PAET).

"We prevented the loss of 81.99 billion US dollars that the government would get due to Tanesco not complying with the terms of the contract," said Hamduni.

After the PCC identified the loss, it called Tanesco and PAET at different times and through discussion, PAET agreed to give Tanesco the right to use gas worth 40.73 million dollars.