FORMER Deputy Minister in the MMD government Gaston Sichilima faces possible arrest following his alleged failure to retire imprest amounting to over K122 million.
Mr Sichilima is alleged to have got K122,716,000 imprest in 2010 to fund his trips to his constituency and other assignments but has failed to retire to date.
This came to light yesterday when Ministry of Home Affairs permanent secretary Maxwell Nkole and his team appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to answer audit queries cited in the 2010 Auditor General’s report.
Mr Nkole said Mr Sichilima is among the seven public officers in his ministry who were issued with imprest amounting to K184,913,000 in 2010, which they have allegedly failed to retire in line with financial regulations, which state that the public officer has to retire imprest within 48 hours.
Bweengwa member of Parliament (MP) Highvie Hamududu (UPND), who chaired the meeting, said it is unfortunate that the controlling officer has failed to take appropriate action against the erring former public officer, who has already received his gratuity after leaving the public service.
Mr Hamududu said Mr Sichilima should have been arrested for financial impropriety arising from the Auditor General’s findings.
“The annual Auditor General’s reports gather dust year after year, even in cases where clear abuse of state resources amounting to billions of Kwacha has been reported. We are very upset that you allowed Mr Sichilima to go without retiring imprest.
“How are you going to make him retire the imprest?” he asked.
Chipangali MP Vincent Mwale (MMD) expressed shock at the continued rampant abuse of public resources by officers in government ministries and departments.
Mr Mwale said it is depressing that Government has lost over K360 million in unretired imprest in the Ministry of Home Affairs alone.
Bangweulu MP Chifita Matafwali (PF) said the committee was saddened by the responses it was receiving from the controlling officer.
And Chinsali MP Christopher Mulenga (PF) called on Mr Nkole to put in place measures that will deter officers from abusing public resources.
In his defence, Mr Nkole said he has written to Mr Sichilima requesting him to retire the imprest failure to which he will be taken to court for stealing public funds.
“I want to inform the committee that I have written to Mr Sichilima to retire imprest on many occasions but he has not responded. If he fails to retire the imprest, we will have no option but to take him to court,” Mr Nkole said.
And Auditor General Anna Chifungula told the committee that a senior auditor from her office has been dismissed after being paid K27 million by officials at the passports office as an inducement to distort audited information.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
WHAT ABOUT R BANDA
Its high-time the office of the Auditor general is given power to prosecute these chaps who fail to retire imprests…why should we have a system in place, approved by parliament but disrespect by some ministers..IMPREST SHOULD BE RETIRED WITHIN 48Hrs PERIOD…
No “sacred cow”
Concur with you 100%.its about we started walking the talk.Bill needs to passed to criminalise the issue of unretired imprest
Mr. Nkole, u were brought by Mr. Sata from retirement. U were health wise not too well. So this issue of you promising to take Sichilima to court is share incompetency. Why havent you taken him to court up to now? These the Nkole type are the people we dont want in the system. Recycled & inefficient. That is why we say Sata is NOT being helped by his Bemba close inner circle. Fire all this incompetent PS starting with Max Nkole.
Wow no comment. This is straight forward and We hope the PF ministers are retiring their imprest in time.
HEY LUSAKA TIMES (LT) ACCORDING TO THIS FIGURE OF K122,716,000 GIVEN IN THE ARTICLE, IF TAKEN TO THE NEAREST IT WILL READ K123 MILLION.
WHY SHOULD YOU BE REDUCING THE AMOUNT IN YOUR HEADLINE? MATHS IS SIMPLE. ANALYSE BEFORE YOU YOU PUBLISH.
HE SHOULD FACE THE CHARGES. THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY.
Nachula do you also want the auditor general to rounding off all her findings??
Careful, he is a boxer, he will box you up.The only thing i remember abt him is the fierce fight he had with a kaponya, through hard punches…Or am mistaken?
Extend audits to GRZ departments as well, starting with Misamfu Research Centre. Even casual workers are watching the drama with great shock and sadness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@#1, don’t worry my friend, RB’s time is coming soon. He’ll be up next. Small fishes first….then the big fish that’s how they are getting these MMD fools.
Highvie Hamududu (UPND)? What kind of name is that, really. Yaba, buti nasekako, I think my LT name should be Highvie Hamududu, LMFAO.