Tanzania's former energy and minerals minister, Sospeter Muhongo, was on Saturday cleared over a national financial scandal, along with another ministry official.
A few months ago, Muhongo submitted his resignation soon after parliament asked President Jakaya Kikwete to sack him along with four top government officials over a national financial scandal that came to be known as the Tegeta Escrow Account Scandal.
His Permanent Secretary, Eliakim Maswi, was suspended pending investigations in the case.
'After thorough investigations against the Minister and his permanent secretary, the ethics secretariat cleared them both of any wrong-doing in the withdrawal of Tegeta Escrow Account money,' Civil Servants' Chief Secretary, Ombeni Sefue, told Anadolu Agency.
Sefue, who is also a cabinet secretary, added that the two officials were cleared by a special investigation team formed by the government at the request of the president.
'The ethics secretariat found out that before releasing the money, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals top officials, sought and followed proper legal advice from then Attorney-General, Fredrck Werema, who resigned over the scandal last year,' Sefue added.
Sefue noted that apart from carrying out their duties as minister and permanent secretary, Muhongo and Maswi had clear hands when it came to the Escrow Account scandal.
'They did not benefit by any means from Escrow money,' he added.
Land and Housing Minister, Anna Tibaijuka, was sacked by the president after her name was listed among those who received money from James Rugemalila, one of the shareholders of a major company, who got $130 million from Escrow Account.
Tibaijuka received over $1.5 million from Rugemalila as a donation to her two secondary schools, one in Dar es Salaam and another in Kagera region, northwestern Tanzania.
The investigation team, meanwhile, cleared four other ministers who were forced to resign after officials from their ministries proved to be involved in gross human rights violations and rules during an anti-poaching operation in 2013.
They are the Defense and National Service Minister, the Home Affairs Minister, the Natural Resources and Tourism Minister and the Livestock and Fisheries Minister.
'During the operations, 15 deaths were recorded and nine people died due to torture,' Sefue said.
'Although the probe team suggested legal action against officers who were involved in torturing 15 people, the sacked ministers did not directly commit any wrong,' he added.
By Amr Imam
Anadolu Agency
enerji@aa.com.tr