Inspector General of police Martin Malama says investigations into the 2.1 billion kwacha cash found at former Labour Minister Austin Liato’s farm are continuing.
Dr Malama said that police are still pursuing the matter and the nation will be informed once investigation are concluded.
However, he could not state whether Mr Liato has been summoned in connection with the same case.
Dr Malama said that police are still pursuing other cases and investigations should not be seen to be political.
He warned that police will investigate wherever a crime has been committed and will move in to correct the situation.
[pullquote]“According to the BOZ Act, money is supposed to be in circulation. The way this money had been stored gives a basis to investigate why it was kept in such a manner,” Ms Kanjela said.[/pullquote]
On Friday early morning, combined team of police, DEC and ACC officers dug out the money in question from a hole at the former minister’s house in Mwembeshi. The money is now in State custody at the former task force offices.
The money was in bundles of K50,000 and K20,000 notes with Zanaco and Bank of Zambia (BOZ) stickers on them. The stickers had dates of March 10 and 15, 2011 on them.
Officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zambia Police arrived at plot No. 44 Mpamba settlement at 16:00 hours on Thursday to conduct their operation.
According to a police spokesperson Ms Kanjela, acting on a tip-off from members of the public, a joint team of officers with a search warrant broke into an incomplete house which had an elaborate security system with an alarm. The officers dug through two thick layers of concrete with conforce wire. Underneath, they found two trunks which also contained a safe each with money in them.
The officers discovered the two trunks two hours after they arrived at the house and left the house yesterday morning at about 03:00 hours. She said using picks, an axe and shovels which the officers had carried with them, they dug through two floors of concrete reinforced with conforce wire before they found the treasure trove.
Ms Kanjela said police will summon Mr Liato to ascertain whether the money is his and why he was keeping such huge amounts of money underground at his home. She said Mr Liato was not at home at the time and when called on his mobile phone, he told officers he was on his way from Kaoma.
“According to the BOZ Act, money is supposed to be in circulation. The way this money had been stored gives a basis to investigate why it was kept in such a manner,” Ms Kanjela said.
She said the officers also discovered a brand new Mercedes Benz car and a Toyota Prado which were also locked in a garage which also has an elaborate security system. Ms Kanjela, however, said the two vehicles were not seized.
ZNBC
“According to the BOZ Act, money is supposed to be in circulation. The way this money had been stored gives a basis to investigate why it was kept in such a manner,” Ms Kanjela said. Selfish people can not allow wealth circulate because they are evil incarnates. The truth however is that whoever does ever will be judged by time…because it the best judge. Gadaffi and Mubarak no one could have persecuted them but time….has MASTER ruled over them.
Zele says:Sun Nov 27 at 7:57 am“According to the BOZ Act, money is supposed to be in circulation. The way this money had been stored gives a basis to investigate why it was kept in such a manner,” Ms Kanjela said. Selfish people can not allow wealth circulate because they are evil incarnates. The truth however is that whoever does whatever evil they are doing will be judged by time…because it is time that is the best judge. Consider Gadaffi and Mubarak no one could have ever thought be persecuted by street hooligans( and greet people) but time…as MASTER ruled over them.
Liato’s options in this saga are not at all reassuring. These are the options:
1) He is locked up for not less than five years with hard labour.
2) He is bumped off by his fellow thieves who may not want him to expose them.
3) He has a stroke or dies of heart attack.
4) He commits suicide.
5) He flees the country with Interpol hot on his heels and no chance to enjoy his loot.
The only attractive option is where he decides to stand as a state witness, exposes his accomplices, and gets a reduced sentence.
Good analysis! Option 6. The state bunggels this case and fail to get a conviction..
Yapena bakamba, l thought the labourers l tasked with burying 2.1billion dug a deep trench and used a high strength concrete mix for the slab. l’m not the only one please investigate even other ministers especially chi Dora.
This is the mentality we need to stamp out if we are to eradicate poverty, with this type of CV for the former ministers, l just wonder where the country would be heading now had the MMD (Movement for Mandrax Dealers) won the elections. I’m 100% sure he is not the only one. How on earth can a person of such high profile do such a thing, this sounds unreal.
This is why Zambia needs laws and regulations on how much cash one can withdraw and also a way to track how whether it was spent.In the US if you withdraw or deposit more than $5000 you will be made fill out a form and even if you did it in smaller bundles they still track its usage to see if there’s money laundering or other crimes.Nobody needs that type of amount with them if they are upto wholesome ventures.
Enka, just a clarification, it is more than @ $10,000 and not $5,000.
Honestly Zambians can you imagine what could have happened if Zambian people gave MMD another 5 years to govern the nation? With recent revelations of how these MMD thieves had stolen Zambia money, it is very disheartening and frustrating why these MMD folks entrusted with power to lead us had ripped our country at the expense of poor people who put them in power. Thank GOD Zambian people made a good decision to remove MMD from power in last elections. However, knowing fake Zambian laws which only protect the rich, Austin Liato will walk free from this case.
Yaba! my son, what a shame in the family, sorry no option just suffer walitumpa you need to kumukobeko!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good work Zambia Police. Please leave no stone unturned. I am finally gaining confidence in the ZP. Now we need the judges to do their part. Lately the judiciary has been a disappointment. I hope this time around they will act like professionals and redeem their image. Zambians are dying because of poor healthcare system; meanwhile government officials have buried the funds underground hoping the money will grow one day- Portfolio investment management 101.
This chap is a crook . Just 1 % of such an amount in interest per month in a bank is about $5000 dollars a month pa Z and he hides it !! Lets get to the bottom of this- Minister of Labour – ama Chinese fwani – wina azalila !!
MMD must not be quick to distance themselves from the issue. I know Kachingwe was distributing money in Kabwata days before election at Musana Bottle store under a tree and I was there. If he will deny let him be man enough. One of the guy who was getting the filthy money was a CID from Sikanze Camp. This thuggery is so deep that it take serious minded people to discover what MMD did. Now it explains why the removed some clause on abuse of office. It was well calculated with George at the pinnacle of it
#5 Enka Rasha, In developed countries Liato would loose everything including his professional credentials if he has any, meaning that he can not serve in public office or find a job anywhere, but in Zambia Liato will bounce back into public service and in politics with this dirty history background. I think government should probe all MMD big fish, they are alot who have stolen money and I bet this money came from Chinese investors considering how they had been violating Zambian labor laws, so sad.
He has NO professional credentials bwana.
Liato make Bin Laden security detail look amateurish… ‘high Wall fence and elaborate security system’..Just failing to give a farm worker R50 pin on time will land Liato in Mukobeko Prison..All Liato needed to do is cost-benefit analysis… Give each labourer who was hiding the K2b just K1m to keep quite…But No Liato is so selfish he can’t afford to spend even K5m from his ‘hard-earned’ monies..the other day, he was caught in gold scan..trying tto sweat his assets while K2b is underground as a ‘contigency’..
iwe ka Enk #5.. we also got laws here ala! its illegal to keep over k100m in cash.
he has gone to se the sangoma for protection against possible prosection
#11 very good observation. In fact it is silly behaviours of our law enforcement that even brought Rupiah back from a corrupt-ridden background to come and rule our country. It is very sad that extremely ludicrous things happen in our country at a very high level, and we complain that we are not getting development. If you bring back a silly guy who couldn’t care less about mending roads, how would you expect him to run your systems? This trend must be curtailed, and curtailed now. Liato must NEVER be allowed anywhere near the corridors of power, EVER… let him remain at ward level advising on how to dig trenches for laying pipes….
the money had zanaco and BOZ stickers! So zanaco and boz are aware of the transaction.
The investigation should go further to ZANACO and BOZ, How can someone withdraw such huge amounts over the counter and law enfircement agencies are not informed??
You have pulled it off the bag this time and you deserve the credit and a pat o your back
More people are involved in this from the previous regime,that is why we patriotic zambians had to vote enmass to remove the corrupt regime.Hats off PF government
could this be the reason why the clause for abuse of office was removed by the MMD government.
‘Ifyakulya ubushiku fitulikila kumalushi’, there goes the Bemba saying. Liato thought this could not be exposed because he was in that position but time spoke and like H.E Mr Sata said during his campaign that all these thieves will be exposed. Our able police officers and their security counterparts are beggining to show that they can do a very good job if they are left to operate freely and proffetionally. Thumbs up Dr Malama and please extend all the investigations to all those who served as ministers in the previous regime including their former bosses RB and G.Kunda.:o
Liato was growing “Cash Crops” at his farm.
Good one Bonzo
You bloggers need God. Your comments are so passionately negative. You all seem so excited to witness “punishment”. At what stage will you enjoy your lives?
Liato will be freed. He was carrying out an experiment to see if money can grow like plants. I hear he was helped in his project by UN through it`s RB wing.
Toot toot too! Where is Capitalist mwebantu? We want to know about this project which I hear will make Africa the richest continent.
Capitalist is in Canada for fear of the unknown. Am told he left on the 24th September 2011
if Liato has 2.1 bn ZMK THEN WHAT ALA BEE, GK AND DORA SILITI ET AL???? tip of an iceberg!!!!!!
UPND THATS MMD FOR YOU. CONTINUE THE MARRIAGE BEFORE YOUR PARTY IS REDUCED TO AN EMPTY TIN
shut up you bemba chaps.u were so quiet when kapoko,kalumba,chiluba,miti ,chungu and the rest of those bemba thieves stole but they are still out,why a ruch eeeeh,eeeeh.u bemba things are pathetic.ba mwata kuya kwimbo na kuli banana kwimbo.bana paye.
There only person out is Don Chi Chi! Even then we don`t know what is hapenning is!
The UPND has to review its relationship and marriage with the MMD or be ready to be caught in the cross fire, do you really know how much excess baggage that MMd has????
He is not alone doing that!
One stole a fully furnished, electrified, well-maintained government house equipped secured bore hole water, a k1bn house. It happened at NRDC where the former principal secured dubiously an offered letter from the Ministry of Lands to obtain an institutional house. The government was swindled of its land at the NRDC ranch where the former nrdc principal is acting as the sole owner of ‘Meanwood’ housing project on government land. Someone has to audit nrdc land to see what the government has lost at nrdc farm. The principal’s house has to be given back to the college.
#2 Max Mbizo, Very interesting and vital options for Liato.
#6 Mwiponta Mukabwela, Indeed I get scared to imagine what the MMD under Rupiah and his sons would do to the country had they succeeded in rigging the elections in their favour for another 5 years.
#16 DR OBATALA, Yes the ZANACO and BOZ must explain their part in all this. Zambia is a small economy and how could they allow such huge cash withdrawals.
There is no way that this sabotage could go on without the backing of RB. We are waiting!
lets go liato we see who laughs at last.eheee,especially in cot.Lets go KALABO Medic,yo mum is there!!!!.hitback hard the kateleway.mwataaaaaa!
Iam not a journnalist but this is not a story ba ZNBC or ba Lusaka Times. It gives uus no new deveelopmeents. Readiing it one senses you are trying to draw blood from a stone aas you are gleaning for informationn which you don’t have. In a story like this one you don’t have to wait for Police to give you developments You investigate. Get real journalists on your desk
Ok sir.We are waiting.
I ask MCS the Cobra to immediately order the Police to give that cash to RDA or MOE OR MOH to immediatley fund a immediate project. LIATO will be asked in court when money is already used in some meaniful project, otherwise if MCS doesnt do that the money will vanish like the Gold SCAM
A patriotic Zambian will not reason like blackbull. Even a reasonable person will reason like him. Blackbull you might be reasoning like a blackbull indeed.
A patriotic Zambian will not reason like blackbull. Even a reasonable person will not reason like him. Blackbull you might be reasoning like a blackbull indeed.
I am also wondering how much these other chaps may have in their backyard gardens. I mean people like Dora, Kunda, Alabee and the like. Just go and start digging at all these guys premises and I promise you there is cash there. Trust me guys lets just start digging everywhere. I end here!
#27 Blackbull…did the bembas tell Liato to have cash cows at his farm…I guess not..so be rational mwana..Here is my thing, who ever stole from GRZ must face the music,,,And the PF GRZ will be subjected to the same scrutiny 5 – 10 years from now…Henceforth zero tolence to corruption must apply… We need to set a trend where even Sata Must know that he will never be the king for ever hence the need for PF Govnmt to practise what they’re teaching..
#27 blackbull, i bet you don’t reason with your brains but you reason with your balls how in the world a normal person would fail to condemn stealing? bwana regardless of where you come from what is bad is bad and should be condemned and in this case Liato nafaula and he need to be behind bars period. Where is MMD chiefbootlicker, capitalist and senior citizen? hiding or they are also distancing themselves from Liato.
Its not like its a lot of money is it?
Thanks
mushota again.
Italian Bunga Bunga & @ 40.Corruption free Zambia or reduced corruption in Zambia is only possible if those fighting against this scourge stand on a perfect ground. If & when offenders are part of the system , then keep on talking or cramping a few will be meaningless. Let Chikwanda loose, Ephraim Chibwe was loosened. Mahtani’s ceasure of Finance Bank was exactly what thief Liato had done. Facts and details are with BOZ, no politics over this issue.
Not until this fight is really a fight against corruption, subtlety corruption in more complex form and fashion will be the new culture of PF govt.
Mushota. you suprise me ..blogging on sunday!!!.. I thought u only blog Mondy to Friday when your supervisor is making tea… Anyhow, convert K2b to currency of ur choice..u dnt have to guess or imagine…the Zed budget is not that big..we hence need every ngwee to be accounted for…
It is still surprising me what would money be doing underground on a farm. The fool wanted it grow into a tree of monies or something. Now the MMD is resorting desperate measures at this desperate time, anyway hope the money will be used for a meaningful purpose.
If small kapenta like Austin can have excess dole to bury like a squirrel for a rainy day imagine how much sharks like BUFF00N RB, GK and Dora have stashed away and laundered out of the the country that will never be traced.
This just goes to show you that this was a police tip off if they had Austin under their surveillance they would have napped a couple of more crooks by now…these crooks are probably wiring funds all over the place and ZP don’t that the capability to track them.
GRZ should explore the possibility of Liato being the ‘state witness’ if he agrees to spel the beans regarding other syndicates he knows about…the only problem is Liato is sicilian mafia..he will just lead GRZ to a goose chase..
Very true Middle Income #33 They are giving us the same story they gave us yesterday. Please reporters dig up some more dirt. Its what we are waiting for! Not Police statements by lethargic Zambia Police who rely only on tips. If the police cant investigate for us who will??
From the Post:: “THE MMD has with immediate effect suspended Austin Liato from the party following the discovery of K2.1 billion buried at his farm on Thursday”.
This the begning of end of MMD
Dora’s son, 23 yrs old has more than 2 billion kwacha in his accounts….hoops. “what more” Dora herself. RB’s son 87 billion, “what more RB himself? Awe mwee!
This sounds like a fiary story to conditions children to go to bed for a peaceful sleep. The whole saga sounds funny. Anotherr alternative theory is that the PF Govt is still executing its pre-planned programmes of DONCHI KUBEGA. Would Bank of Zambia or ZANACO offer some clue to this PUZZLE? We suspect that this huge sum of money was planted at Austin Liato’s Farm to implicate him over his links to the MMD Govt, and also possibly to find a credible way of punishing any enlightened Nkoyas who seem to be the strubling block to the creation of the Barotse Republic. This is just one of the alternative theory. Zambians are no longer fools.
“As a party, we in the MMD have no money in the banks to hold a convention but we have billions buried in the farms of our leaders. Chiluba died suddenly, he did not tell us where he buried his trillions, otherwise the 2 billion at liato’s place is nothing if we knew where Chiluba’s loot is buried. The search will continue and will rebound into power when we find the loot! “……if I had a way I would throw the entire MMD leadership into prison and throw the keys, they are parasites
Maybe what Mushota is implying is that money really is never enough. I feel that since the investigations are ongoing, its better to wait and see this incident reach its logical conclusion, let’s not be excited. Such things have happened in Zambia before and people were excited to see the outcome. To date, culprits are walking tall as the court processes meander at snail’s pace.I mean, look at the Kapoko issue, Xavier Chungu, and not to mention Chungu’s multi-billion Kwacha mansion he built in the Chiluba regime, which was all over the internet, even as far back as 2000/2001 when about the same amount meant for some derelict party convention disappeared. So, let’s wait and see.
Good job! Nevertheless, considering how pervasive corruption is in our nation, Lyato probably did not meet the police`s demand, otherwise the search would have drawn a blank as he would have been tipped off about the imminent search and moved the money elsewhere. Furthermore, Lyato is a small fish who has proved to be crude and not sophisticated and is now being used as a scapegoat. There are more big fishes out there who are nuanced and have used more complex methods to externalize their loot and may present a challenge. Probably instead of wasting so much money on Commissions of inquiries, we need to stimulate whistle blowers (snitchers) by offering them good incentives that will motivate them to come forward with info.
@ # 52
Liato is not Nkoya. He is Mbunda.
Liato is weak in Mind, how could he think so low like a child or like Mwenyes, By the way Mr.IG about UN Missiones, I hope my massege reached your Good office, Let every person going for UN mission take one year and NOT more, NO Extentions under your command Sir. We also want to go were there is Milk as well. NO EXTENTIONS I REPEAT.
I just hope this cash will not grow legs the way our Gold did! It is tricky scenario
if i was a president i would have change the curance so that we see a lot of bapompwe.
Malama looks scary like Amin!!
But liato mukali, nomba amono yanono :-w
he had to bury it. he was scared of stupid Government’s persections
Namwishiba abantu ngamwabapela mandate to rule the country bamona kwati muli fipuba(sory for the language)but the bible says whatever is done in secrecy will one day be brought to light and so this is a practicle example for umukamba(the big man).The chickens have come to roost