Falsified bank account information

We are an international agency operating in several countries, including Tanzania. In our activities in Tanzania, we have encountered instances where some individuals submit falsified bank account details to the embassies of foreign countries in order to obtain visas. Since the submission of such falsified or fabricated documents may involve collusion with bank staff, we believe that an investigation and the initiation of appropriate legal action are necessary. We wanted to pursue this route, but the embassies have declined to cooperate. Please advise us on how to proceed in obtaining the details of the submitters of these falsified or fabricated documents when the embassy is unwilling to share the information. Can we file a police complaint in Tanzania to obtain information from the concerned embassy?
LK, US

You have not specified the nature of your business so that we can provide the appropriate mechanism for resolving this matter. Nonetheless, under Tanzanian law, submitting falsified bank account details to embassies for visa applications constitutes a criminal offence. The Penal Code, Cap. 16 [R.E. 2022] (Penal Code) criminalises acts of forgery and false pretence, which fit with what you have described. Section 301 of the Penal Code provides that any representation made by words, writing, or conduct of a matter of fact or of intention, which representation is a false act and the person making it knows it to be false or does not believe it to be true, is false pretence. On the other hand, section 333 of the Penal Code provides that forgery is the making of a false document with the intent to defraud or to deceive. You can report the matter to the Tanzania Police Force, providing any available evidence of a criminal offence, though we are unsure what your connection is to those who are potentially the wrongdoers.

Further, since bank staff are involved, this could be reported to the bank for disciplinary action. According to regulation 35 of the Bank of Tanzania (Financial Consumer Protection) Regulations, 2019, every financial service provider shall take disciplinary action against employees involved in fraud, misappropriation and misuse of consumers’ assets and report to the Bank of Tanzania. As for the Embassy, diplomatic channels can be used to obtain information from the Embassy. However, be aware that some of this information may be withheld from third parties like you due to restrictions concerning privacy rights and personal data protection in Tanzania and the countries concerned. Your lawyer can guide you further.