THE joint investigations team on the Ministry of Health financial scam has arrested and charged seven Ministry of Health officials and two other individuals involved in alleged fraudulent payments of over K6.8 billion.
The payments were allegedly made between October 2007 and December 31, 2008 to Algonquin Management Consultancy.
The investigations team, which comprises the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Zambia Police Service and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), has also seized five motor vehicles linked to the case.
Speaking at a press briefing at Police Service headquarters in Lusaka yesterday, police spokesperson, Bonny Kapeso said the payments relate to various workshops allegedly conducted by the Ministry of Health for its employees.
The Ministry of Health suspects are Director of Health Policy, Dr Chrispine Sichone, 44, Principal Accountant Roy Maswenyeho, 56, Senior Accountant Vincent Luhana, 35, former chief accountant Evaristo Musaba, 47, former chief human resource development officer Henry Kapoko, 36, former assistant director of administration, Nobert Peleti, 39, and acting principal accountant Kaoma Zukas Kaoma, 38.
Others arrested are Algonquin Management Consultancy director, Naomi Chawinga, 51, and Algonquin shareholder Masuzyo Chawinga, 27.
The vehicles seized are a Mitsubishi Challenger, Nissan Cifero, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Sunny and Toyota Windom.
Mr Kapeso said the payments ranging from K200 million to K940 million and K6,840,547,636 were allegedly made to Algonquin Management Consultancy for workshops, which were allegedly never held or conducted.
“The Ministry of Health employees have been charged with counts of theft contrary to section 272 of the Penal Code, while other individuals have been charged with counts of theft contrary to section 272 of the Penal Code,” Mr Kapeso said.
Dr Sichone of Plot No 15231/1080 in Lusaka’s Kamwala township is charged with six counts of theft by public servant involving K4,370,825,000, Mr Maswenyeho of house number C5, Chabisa Road, Woodlands, in Lusaka faces two counts of theft by public servant amounting to K1,115,618,850, Mr Luhanga of Plot 551 Avondale, Lusaka is charged with six counts of theft by public servant amounting to K4,088,389,186.
Musaba of house number 213 Monkey Close, Ibex Hill in Lusaka, and now with the Accountant-General’s Office in the Ministry of Finance, is charges with four counts of theft by public servant amounting to K2,151,527,286.
Kapoko, of Plot 7658 Woodlands Extension, Lusaka, and now the acting Chief Human resource Development Officer at the Ministry of Local Government, is charged with five counts of theft by public servant and five counts of theft amounting to K6,840,547,636.
Peleti of Plot 2749 Shantumbu Road, Chilenje South in Lusaka, is charged with five counts of theft by public servant amounting to K3,098,751,486, while Musonda of Plot 2344 Lilayi is charged with nine counts of theft by public servant amounting to K6,342,997,636.
Naomi Chawinga, of Plot 11/12 Matero East, Lusaka is charged with 10 counts of theft amounting to K6,840,547,636 while Masuzyo Chawinga of Plot 65 Makishi Road in Northmead, Lusaka, is charged with six counts of theft amounting to K4,017,197,800.
Mr Kapeso said all the suspects have been remanded in custody and will appear in court on Wednesday July 8, 2009 for plea.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
The fact that you are selective is the reason all people arrested for various offences are as free as Chiluba and his wife.
Ichisuungu kuwama…
you just wonder what businnesses people do to amass sudden wealth kanshi nibalazo,mwanya no kunya.
Balongeni mucifungo bashetani abo!
Do not be swirled. We’re talking about a balance of K22.3 Billion. Still waiting for that. We need the whole amount explained and payments tabulated as to were they went. Mwachilamo bakabolala
What about Miti, he was the CEO of the MOH and as i understand he’s very rich infact one wonders why he’s still in employment as a civil servant. The big question however is, where is Miti, when is he going to be picked up? We all know he’s the father of all corruption at MOH. Where is he?
ITS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE THAT ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING WHILE OUR LATE PRESO WAS IN POWER..I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WITH HIS FIGHT OF CORRUPTION WE WOULD HAVE SUCH A LARGE SCALE OF GRAFTING OCCURING
I have always said that to a certain extent unemployment in Zambia is man-made, these guys have killed the SMEs which in normal countries employ the majority of citizenry. The have instead brought in the brief case business sector which only employ wife/husband, children and girl/boy friends. We have a long way to go but of course not with the RB kind of leadership. God need to send us someone with courage to put an end to this mess we are in today or we parish. Many of us in the diaspora are not proud at all at the fact that we are working for bazungus and called names it’s only a f00l who would say to the contrary, thats why i pray that one day we’ll have proper leadership so that we go home and help our country. God help us.
LT dont block my coment there’s nothing unbecoming about my posting
That is the best course to take, please arrest more of em thiefs to bring sanity to this ministry baletusebanya
I hope you are working just as tearless to tie up all the loose ends so that the big fish in this whole saga (Dr. Miti) does not escape the dragnet.
People if you read the letter that Dr. Miti wrote to RB then you will understand why he is still out there. Miti is a dangerous and conniving man and RB is aware.
#6, I’m sure Miti and his directors were too busy attending workshops and making money to notice what was going on. Or maybe, the juniors did what they did because they knew they were learning from their directors and PSes. Ministry of Health workers out there, are your bosses living a wonderful life while you suffer on advances and loans?? Help the investigative arms. If the seniors (directors, PSes, ministers) are not involved in fraudulent activities, then at least they should be held accountable for neglecting to keep donor funds safely and gross incompetence. I’m sure you have rules and regulations that deal with human resource and financial irregularities. Be like Harrington – start a petition or a civil court action.
CAN THEY BE DEPORTED TO ZIMBABWE
we all reap what we sow.
What about Dr miti? Is it true that he is related to RB that is why he can not be locked up
Come on now bloggers!!! Dr. Miti is not going to be picked up because he was not involved in the sagas. If he was, he would have been the first person to be picked up. Infect, this investigation was started with the premise of fixing Miti. But as you will soon realise when Miti is a state witness, his role in this saga has been beyond reproach.
” He who digs a pity must fall in it”. A thief knows what he has done, and he makes desperate prayers to avoid being caught, but God is never mocked; all those involved in financial plunder will be brought to book, no matter how cunning they may appear to be for now. With the increasing number of people being arrested, one is bound to mention the involvement of the BIG FISHES. The likes of Miti are sitting on a time bomb; if it doesn’t happen now it will happen in the future. UMULANDU TAUBOLA!
People do not mistake corruption for abuse of office. These guys used their positions to create bogus events and paid themselves. It’s funny how long the govt takes long to pay you and yet these guys paid themselves so much so quickly.
same old same old