Leaked Cable Reveals Official's Death Threat

Britain's biggest defense contractor, BAE, sold the Tanzanian government an overpriced radar system, and after the head of Tanzania's anti-corruption bureau investigated the "dirty deal," his life was threatened, according to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable.

Edward Hoseah, the chief anti-corruption prosecutor in Tanzania, told a U.S. diplomat that "his life may be in danger," after looking into the arms deal. He told the diplomat that, after his investigation began, "he frequently received threatening letters."

Additionally, Hoseah claimed, that while his country was getting better at exposing and fighting corruption, senior politicians were still able to operate with impunity because of high-level interference in his investigations, according to a report in the Guardian.

"(Hoseah) noted that President Kikwete does not appear comfortable letting the law handle corruption cases which might implicate top-level officials," the cable reads, adding that Kikwitke "does not want to set a precedent" by going after any of his predecessors, the Guardian reports.

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"He told us point blank ... that cases against the prime minister or the president were off the table," diplomat Purnell Delly writes in the cable. The cable then details allegations against former leaders and their inner circles, saying they would be "untouchable".

Tanzania, which has no air force, bought the military air defense radar from BAE in 2001 for 28 million British Pounds, the Guardian reports. It was claimed the Commander system, which was portable and festooned with anti-jamming devices, could also be used for civilian air traffic control.

In January 2007 the Guardian disclosed that BAE had used an offshore front company, Red Diamond, to secretly pay 8.4 million British Pounds, 30% of the radar's ostensible price, into a Swiss account.

Every individual involved in the BAE scandal in Britain and Tanzania has escaped prosecution, the Guardian reports.

The former overseas development secretary, Clare Short, said at the time: "It was always obvious that this useless project was corrupt."