Friday, March 29, 2024

Teta sends K10bn theft suspect back to Health Ministry

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LOCAL Government and Housing Minister Bennie Tetamashimba has surrendered to the Ministry of Health an official being probed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in connection with the theft of K10 billion.

Mr Tetamashimba said in an interview in Livingstone yesterday that he did not want the beleaguered official at his ministry and decided to take him back to the Health Ministry where he was working at the time he acquired the wealth which was now under probe.

He said that he had instructed his Permanent Secretary Coillard Chibbonta to send the employee back to the Ministry of Health where he came from because he did not want his ministry to get entangled in corrupt activities.

He said he wanted all the issues surrounding the official to be sorted out by the law enforcement officers and the Health Ministry where he was based at the time of allegedly committing the offences.

Mr Tetamashimba said he was in Bahamas with Mr Chibbonta when the scam was unearthed and advised the permanent secretary to suspend the official.

The minister said some opposition leaders had been in the forefront of accusing the Government of being corrupt but had failed to condemn the K10 billion scam because those involved financed their campaigns.

President Rupiah Banda on Thursday deplored the continued thefts among civil servants and asked Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja to ensure that all those implicated in corrupt practices were removed.[quote]

The ACC said yesterday that it had made headway in the probe into the theft of the K10 billion and would submit names of officers implicated to Dr Kanganja next week for action.

The commission said the matter was not only complicated but also required thorough investigations before names of suspects and those involved could be forwarded to Dr Kanganja.

ACC chairperson, Justice Valentine Chileshe said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the commission hoped to effect some arrests soon.

He said the commission had been working with a team of auditors from the Auditor General’s office to establish the extent and involvement of the various officials at the Ministry of Health in the transactions in question.

In another development, the Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) has said it will not defend any individuals involved in abuse of public funds meant for the development of the country.

CSAWUZ deputy general secretary Betty Mutambo was reacting to recent revelations of abuse of public resources in the various Government ministries by some civil servants.

Speaking during the Ministry of Energy and Water Development Labour Day prize giving ceremony in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Mutambo said the union would not defend any corrupt civil servants who have selfishly abused public funds meant for the development of the country.

Ms Mutambo said the union was dismayed by the level of corrupt practices among the civil servants.

[Times of Zambia]

41 COMMENTS

  1. It seems iyi mane yalibomba inchito ishingi sana,no ku chita finance ama campaigns.Arrest all those who took part.

  2. So Teta is saying that some of the K10bn was used to finance the opposition ..and that could be PF obviously. SO could this be the reason why this scandal was exposed, because it was used to finance the opposition? Interesting indeed. You only investigate those that support your enemies. This scandal is now losing credibility in my mind ..looks like a setup by MMD to deflect attention from their stealing and to deal with their enemies. RB call for suspension of suspects and yet he never suspended Dora.

  3. This is what we want though it has come after the Netherlands action of withdrawing support. I can just encourage donor-countries to not tolerate miss use of their donations by these MMD thieves. The Netherlands thanks for your concern at least your money will not be miss used next time. On Tate ‘s accusation of the opposition that their campaigns were funded by these stolen K10 billion, I think the MMD stole a lot of money during campaigns if the opposition can still from govnt.

  4. procrastination is the thief of time. Just like in Chiluba and Dora’s case, it is the time factor that will save these culprits from facing judgement. Mark my words.

  5. I like Teta lol.So why not just fire him if he is guilty?You are the guys in power so if the Ministry of health is corrupt then all of you are…

  6. Its really sad that govt is reacting to the Netherlands action. They cant do anthing unless one is not their bootlickers. They have continued shielding their fellow thieves. Let all donor-countries warn these thieves. We are tired of them..

  7. Zambians, for how long are we going to tolerate this behaviour of so called politicians. Do they really believe we don’t know the same strategie they use of trying to get away with cases. Dora, Chiluba, Regina .. are examples. And number 5, you are right. They want to act just because they feel the money was used for an opposition party. Could it even be true? When it comes to the money, mealie meal etc. they stole during their campain, let sleeping dogs lie. One wonders what the man is even doing in the Bahamas.

  8. Zambians, for how long are we going to tolerate this behaviour of so
    called politicians. Do they really believe we don’t know the same
    strategie they use of trying to get away with cases. Dora, Chiluba, Regina etc.
    are examples. And number 5, you are right. They want to act just because they
    feel the money was used for an opposition party. When it comes to the money,
    mealie meal etc. they stole during their campain, let sleeping dogs lie.
    One wonders what the man is even doing in the Bahamas.

  9. The K10 billion scam is just a tip of the plunder going on in Govt. Teta, by sending this man back to MOH dont you think it will be easy for him to go and tamper with evidence?

  10. Tenta must have suspended the chap why is he chickening out. Someone big and feared must be behind the scam. George, please george come out you did on Kasweka Bulaya. The guy knows how money for campaign move he was only taking advantage of the fraud system.

  11. This kind of clowning by ministry heads just reflects the presidents earlier denial that the thefts took place before his time. Who ever is in authority and a thief is discovered during his watch MUST take it upon him /her self to take action not be seen to go look for past executives as excuses. Lock up this chap and all other suspects while you secure the stolen loot.

  12. If this was a case of some poverty stricken Zambia being suspected of stealing a chicken, ZP would have already pounced on the poor fella and he would be inside by now. Why is this plunderer still working?

  13. That is what happens when the system is compromised. This guy must have been a link for some big short. Kunda defended Bulaya why. Health ministry is a source of money for compaigns shi fwile shali pwalala isha ku getter naba opposition. Ni manner anyone can access it.

  14. Magande has been accused by MMD for corruption charges coz they say he ahd a connection with the post and this money is accused by the same MMD coz the money was used to help an opposition. Too bad indeed. But wait a minute, who has ever been accused by the GRZ for corruption and using the money for the benefit of MMD? I can smell something fith behind all the cases. Poeple like RB, Katele, Dora, FTJ, Teta, Kunda, etc are never mentioned in the lips of the so called MMD… whatever they may do. goshhhhhhhhhhhhh…

  15. #Peter Sosi Juma how are you? I need your music…….Comming to the story at hand it seems Henry kapoko has nowhere to hide

  16. # 17.
    asked, by sending this man back to MOH dont you think it will be easy for him to go and tamper with evidence?

    Absolutely not because so because in this case, the MoH has now been literally planted with Auditor General office, ACC, DEC and OOP(SD) forensic investigators.

  17. this guy must be very big and influencial, y is everyone pushing him else where like a hot ball, instead of throwing him in jail immediately.

  18. make public all those implicated in this robbery, we want to make sure they never work again in Zambia.

  19. I did indicate on one of the threads yesterday, that all the talk show is merely deception. There is deep rooted rot behind the closed door.So he goes to MOH as what ? when there is some one already in that portfolio .

  20. I am a bit lost here, when did Secretary to the Cabinet start dealing with disciplinary cases for civil servants? What happened to the Public Service Commission which appoints and dismisses civil servants? It appears to me that this chap is holding very important information which sent shivers down the spine of Tetamashimba. Why he was moved to another ministry still puzzles me. And how can a Human Resources Officer ( a senior clerical officer ) become in contact with such amounts of money? Where are the Internal Auditors and other Accountants?? I am genuinely puzzled by this case. It reeks of corruption from the top. He is just a pawn……..

  21. Very simple solution….if there is evidence against this guy, why not fire him instead of switching him from one ministry to another…whats so special about him? Either there is no evidence against him or he RBs relative, thats the only logical explanation to this on-going fiasco.

  22. Can the minister also tel us about the unretired imprests by ministers.They hv failed to account for money and yet are stil actively involved in govt business.Levy set a precedent on this one

  23. #30 Human resource dept has an account for training of all health workers,locally and aboard ,giving of of loans etc. is it still a surprise?

  24. Teta there he goes AGAIN! trying to shift blame to opposition, that’s all he knows! this money was stollen under your nose “MMD” with your non starter” zero tolerance slogan to corruption” YOU THIEVES!!! you need to be booted out all of you. the ACC are saying the case is complicated because big fishes are involved, that is why this chap is still working. AND STOP TALKING ABOUT ZERO TOLERANCE WHEN RB CAN PUBLICLY BE SEEN WITH DORA.

  25. Bahamas? What is in Bahamas for official duties? There is nothing in Bahamas apart from tourism and Banks that one can hide money from government. Bahamas and Cayman Islands operate in the same way. Teta and his PS must be investigated. Believe me, their trip to Bahamas is not innocent but full of suspicions. Did RB sanction this trip? Owee mayo wee, indalama bafisa in Bahamas. Where the money they are giving to Central Province came from, tonnes of it went to Bahamas.

  26. Could Teta and his PS have gone to the Bahamas to hide the K2.5bn from the mines which the CCJP guy revealed?

  27. Eeh. This “rich civil servant” is hot. It’s likely he is well connected! Why is everyone indecisive? Rupiah you’re the Country’s CEO!!!!

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