President Magufuli fires officials over fake earthquake account

Tanzania’s president has sacked two senior officials for opening a fake account to siphon money from an earthquake fund, his office has said.

 An accountant had been suspended for being part of the plan to take money collected for earthquake victims, John Magufuli’s office added in a statement.

Amantius Msole, Kagera’s regional administrative secretary, and Steven Makonda, Bukoba city municipal council director, were fired while accountant Simbaufoo Swai had been suspended, local media reports.

 At least 16 people died and 200 were wounded in the 10 September earthquake in the northern Kagera region. Foreign governments have donated money to the earthquake fund.