The agency's CEO has declared that Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) staff in the smuggling control unit will now patrol with the police.

Yusuph Mwenda, the TRA commissioner general, expressed this intention at yesterday's funeral ceremony for the late Amani Simbayao in Dar es Salaam, similarly affirming that TRA will employ the deceased's wife. 

Despite legal procedures, TRA will explore ways to assist the widow, after the family provider died in the course of performing his duties, he said.  

He passed away on Friday at the Muhimbili National Hospital, while receiving treatment after an attack by members of the public, with reports saying that those in the area had suspected that the people stopping the vehicle and starting to ask questions, holding the driver, were abductors. 

The TRA would provide insurance for the children left behind by their employee the CEO stated, regretting the attack on three TRA officers in the Tegeta suburb north of the city last week.

They were attempting to seize a vehicle suspected of having been smuggled into the country. The CEO, deploring the incident, stated that it was unlawful and unjust. 

It was one of the late employee’s responsibilities to control illegal immigration, along with monitoring the importation of vehicles, as TRA officers are mandated by law to patrol, inspect and seize property suspected to be contraband, he explained.

“The actions taken by Amani and his colleagues were fully in line with legal procedures,” he said, elaborating that internal TRA procedures similarly back what they were doing. 

“While fulfilling their duties, they were unjustly obstructed. Following this tragedy, we will continue to educate the public about the rights and powers TRA staff have, so they understand that these measures are in place for their benefit."

Insisting that the officer working for the good of Tanzanians, he said that the TRA officers did not deserve such treatment. Taxes for the car in question had not paid, he affirmed.

He similarly appealed to Tanzanians to cooperate with TRA by reporting smuggling activities, as such tragedies would not deter the agency from its work. Even as the realisation of the incident being wrongful would not bring Amani back, the agency will persist in the fight against tax evasion, he declared.

Justice for Amani would involve bringing all those responsible for the incident to court, he said, expressing gratitude to the Good Samaritans who helped during the incident.

Albert Chalamila, the regional commissioner, said that Amani's death marked a turning point for the regional secretariat, assuring the public that the area where the incident took place would be cleared and that justice would prevail.

Moshi Kabengwe, the TRA director of human resource management and administration, said that the late employee had served the agency for six years, working in the smuggling control unit as a first-class driver. 

The employee’s uncle, Amani Kamguna, expressed gratitude for the support provided by TRA in the wake of the incident and the funeral arrangements, covering all expenses.