The corridors of the Mwanza Resident Magistrate Court have become the epicentre of a high-stakes legal manoeuvre, as the state signals its willingness to negotiate with the architects of a massive pension fund plunder.

The decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to entertain settlement talks with executives facing 841 counts of forgery and economic sabotage marks a pragmatic approach to corporate crime. For the East African financial sector, closely watching the recovery of stolen worker contributions is paramount. A successful plea bargain could expedite the restitution of the Sh1 billion lost, but it also raises intense public scrutiny regarding the leniency afforded to white-collar criminals who systematically loot public safety nets.

Unveiling the Forgery Syndicate

The sprawling criminal case targets two senior officials of Salaaman Health Services Ltd: Executive Director Abdi Warsame and Human Resources Officer Elia Makongwa. State prosecutors allege that between 2021 and 2023, the duo operated a highly sophisticated criminal network spanning across Mwanza and Dar es Salaam.

According to the charge sheet, Warsame and Makongwa weaponized an elaborate array of forged documents to systematically siphon funds from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). The calculated deception resulted in the loss of over Sh1 billion, directly threatening the financial security of thousands of Tanzanian workers relying on the state pension scheme for their retirement.

The Mechanics of Economic Sabotage

The sheer scale of the indictment—841 distinct counts of economic sabotage—illustrates the industrial nature of the fraud. Rather than a single opportunistic theft, the prosecution outlines a sustained, multi-year campaign to exploit vulnerabilities within the NSSF's verification and disbursement protocols.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2026, State Attorney Fadhili Mwandoloma formally informed Mwanza Resident Magistrate Court in-charge, Erick Maley, that the DPP's office had accepted the defence's request to pursue plea-bargaining negotiations. This legal pivot immediately suspends the traditional adversarial trial process in favour of a closed-door settlement.

• The Accused: Salaaman Health Services executives Abdi Warsame and Elia Makongwa.
• The Charges: A staggering 841 counts of economic sabotage utilizing highly sophisticated forged documents.
• The Financial Impact: Over Sh1 billion systematically drained from the state pension fund between 2021 and 2023.

The Pursuit of Asset Recovery

Defence counsel Allan Robi publicly welcomed the DPP's decision, framing the plea-bargaining route as mutually beneficial. For the state, it guarantees a conviction and circumvents years of expensive, unpredictable litigation. More importantly, it offers a direct mechanism to rapidly recover the stolen Sh1 billion.

The court has scheduled the pivotal settlement discussions for March 4, 2026, where the terms of restitution and potential reduced sentencing will be fiercely negotiated.

"Securing a conviction is vital, but in cases of massive economic sabotage, the rapid repatriation of stolen public funds must remain the ultimate priority for the state," a regional financial governance expert noted.