At least 17 prominent individuals in Tanzania’s political and business circles have been keeping millions of dollars in HSBC Bank in Geneva, The Citizen reports.
The account holders’ list also bears names of three local companies that have stashed millions in the same bank, according to details which this paper has gathered.
The revelation comes in the wake of confirmed reports that French authorities sit on leaked data from HSBC, which could give a breakthrough in Tanzania’s investigation into the much-reported Swiss billions.
Responding to questions online, the source wrote last week: “I was right; HSBC in Geneva had customers in Tanzania. I understand there are up to 17 individuals in Tanzania who had a links with the bank revealed in
the data obtained by the French authorities. Another three “contracts” were with a bank and two other entities…I hope this is of some assistance.”
The source is one of the members of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) team that investigated and broke the story on the offshore leak which rocked Europe, US, and China last year. His claims are corroborated by the HSBC whistle-blower who leaked the data to French authorities. Some three years ago, authorities in Paris launched a manhunt in pursuit of tax evaders who use Swiss banks to hide their wealth.
French authorities finally got the data after a former senior HSBC employee, identified as Ms Herve Falciani, stole bank information bearing names of foreign individuals and companies that secretly keep their money in Swiss banks.
Ms Falciani, together with a French journalist, Ms Valentine Orbeti, are currently working on a book about secret bank accounts managed by foreigners from Europe, US and Africa.
According to details gathered by The Citizen, when the French authorities obtained the data stolen from HSBC, they also shared the details with foreign governments, especially those which have bilateral agreement with Paris on exchange of information. It is not clear whether Tanzania and France have a bilateral agreement to exchange information.
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Zitto Kabwe (Kigoma North MP) has more info., ...click here to finish reading this article @ The Citizen
