INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police Martin Malama says more former leaders will soon start appearing in court over the corruption cases under investigation. Dr Malama said in an interview yesterday that the police are grateful for the patience exhibited by members of the public since the investigations started.
“We understand the concern about delays in prosecuting the matters, which is genuine. There are many cases and some of them will be in court soon,” Dr Malama said in an interview yesterday.
He said police will not take the patience for granted, adding that the investigations have not been about parading people in the media.
He said all the people who have been investigated will be subjected to the criminal justice system, as and when evidence is available.
A combined team of law enforcement officers has interrogated former Finance and National Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, former Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale and former Education Minister Dora Siliya.
The team is made up of officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Zambia Police.
The team has also interviewed former Labour and Social Security Minister Austin Liato and former Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga.
Mr Liato and former DEC chief Aaron Zulu are the only ones who have appeared in court. Mr Liato made headlines when K2 billion was dug from a concrete slab at his farm in Mumbwa and Mr Konga was warned and cautioned over the weekend concerning a number of properties he owns.
Mr Zulu is linked to the gold scam, in which gold, forfeited to the state following a court case, was sold to a Swiss national.
Zambia’s former High Commissioner to Canada Nevers Mumba has also been interrogated.
Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota, who is representing all former leaders under investigation, has called the investigations a ‘fishing expedition’.
Police have summoned former president Rupiah Banda’s spokesperson Dickson Jere and some Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) senior officials over the sale of gold to a Swiss national and some bicycles left over from the election campaign.
The DEC in July 2011 privately auctioned off seized gold to a Swiss official, at a whopping US$4 million. The gold was believed to have been undervalued.
Mr Jere was summoned over allegations that he helped to single-source the buyers of the gold. He reported to the team on Monday October 17, 2011.
In 2007, the DEC seized 119 kilogrammes of gold worth over US$7 million at the Lusaka International Airport (now Kenneth Kaunda International Airport) from two Zimbabwean nationals who tried to evade sanctions against Zimbabwe and attempted to re-export the gold through Zambia.
Former President Levy Mwanawasa moved former minister of Home Affairs Ronnie Shikapwasha to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting when it emerged that he had shown interest in buying the gold at “disposal value”.
The team also summoned Likolo Ndalamei, the former Secretary to Treasury, who authorised the sale of the forfeited gold.
Investigators have searched various homes and offices of senior MMD officials close to former President Rupiah Banda.
The team conducted a day-long search on the offices of Henry Banda, president Rupiah Banda’s son. Henry was a key figure in the MMD campaign before the September 2011 presidential and general elections, won by Mr MichaelSata.
Although Henry held no official position in the MMD Presidential Campaign Committee headed by prominent politician Dr Boniface Kawimbe, police believe he played a significant role in the sourcing of campaign funds for the MMD.
The team also confiscated 49 bicycles and two motor vehicles, a Toyota Dyna and Toyota Hilux, from MMD deputy national chairman Kabinga Pande’s home in Makeni.
Police seized over 1,000 bicycles from Dr Musokotwane’s home in Makeni.
And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka says revelations of an ‘increased’ number of corruption and abuse of office cases involving former leaders vindicates his organisation which resisted the removal of the abuse of office clause by the former administration for self-preservation purposes.
Mr Lifuka said in Lusaka yesterday that the move was ‘a self-serving measure’ which in fact legalised abuse of office and shielded the offenders.
He was commenting on the increasing list of senior officials in the Rupiah Banda administration that has sucked in the former President himself and his close aides.
Mr. Lifuka said his organisation had vehemently opposed the removal of the clause for fear of wanton and unabated abuses and has called for authorities to cast their net wider and leave no stone unturned as they step up their investigations.
“The conduct of former cabinet ministers who have been caught up in conflict of interest cases should be investigated and appropriate measures taken. It is evident that other ministers could have used their positions of authority to cut deals for companies in which they were shareholders,” Mr. Lifuka said.
He cited the case of former Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane as an example saying clearly, more ministers are likely to have abused their positions of authority.
Mr. Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane’s actions were clear breach of Zambian law.
Mr Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane has not disputed the fact that he is a director of ZamBuild Investment Ltd – a company that supplied concrete building blocks to Varun Beverages, a company he admitted having authorised to take a K10.8 billion tax holiday or deferment.
TIZ is disturbed by Dr Musokotwane’s reaction that there was ‘no conflict of interest’ because he is just a shareholder and not in management of a company that supplied building blocks to Varun, a company he awarded a tax deferment.
“This conflict of interest does not become any lighter simply because he is just a shareholder and not in management. As a shareholder, it is in his interest that the company operates in an ethical manner and does not get involved in deals which drag his name into disrepute. The law is clear, the former minister should have formally written to the authorities declaring private or personal interest in the matter,” Mr Lifuka said.
Mr Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane, as a public officer who was instrumental in providing necessary support to Varun Beverages to invest in Zambia, should not have taken advantage of his unique position to conduct business with the same company.
He said it is important for Government to institute measures to strengthen the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act and ensure that all declarations of assets and liabilities by the Vice-President, Cabinet Ministers and members of Parliament, are verified and all false declarations are penalised.
“It is clear that the definition of misconduct of elected public officials in the Act is limited and should be broadened,” Mr Lifuka said.
Mr Lifuka also urged Government to immediately institute measures to operationalise the Public Interest Disclosure (protection of whistle-blowers) Act.
“We are very confident that there are numerous whistle-blowers out there who are aware of the several indiscretions of the past administration and can provide useful leads to investigative agencies,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
copy and paste,boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when is the PF government going to say something about the economy!? The Kwacha is skyrocketing!!!!!!!
Yes now is the time. Cage this bas–rds. One wonders what sort of people these leaders have become. They have denied Zambia of their right to medicine, education, medical research..etc please cage this fools.
Husband and wife, Funny— adultery is sin and an offense in the Zambia law and yet the Police chief is busy at it
Malama shutup you frog.Buy uniforms for your officers ,give them decent accomodation not been used as stupid blind vassel.Your behaviour is an insult to hard working professional policemen and women you womaniser.
Lol. Apollo recently renovated State House at a ‘whooping’ $4 million. Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda is a shareholder in Appollo. Did Honourable Chikwanda declare interest? Chiwamila ngalu nditu! When is the PF govt going to issue the long awaited statement about State House renovations which the Speaker asked them to do? We are still waiting!
malama,bukala bobe you are too excited for nothing,very soon you will find yourself on the other side of the fence,lolela first.
Why do we need this reminder? Just do your job and the results will show since you claim to be men of action.Stop the yapping.
Dear sympatheizers, whether or not you like, the law must take it’s course, lets just wait & see, period.
Malama is sounding more like a cadre as the days go by.He had more respect when he was on the copperbelt.I hope in the new constitution the Police chief will not be appointed by the president
Zambia Daily Mail sounds like a PF vuvuzela. Why is nearly half the article about Musokotwane. Are they being used to witch hunt potential opposition leaders?
Also Mr Lifuka should find ways of making the current govt accountable. It’s not much use waiting till people leave govt.
First, CAGE RUPIA, then his minions. Sympatheizers (Thiefs) will discourage you Martin. You are doing a ommandable job. The faster you cage these thieves then Zambia will be a bit cleaner. Why even give a pension to RB, what for?
Does one have to be ‘former leader’ in order to be investigated and face the courts? Do the terms of reference exclude ‘current leaders’ or anyone else alleged to be involved in such vices? or we have to wait for them to become ‘former’?
first day in state house sata condemned RB for buying 4 armoured presidential lexus at K4 billion.
at the same time Sata inspected state house and refused to move in until it was renovated…
finance minister alexander chikwanda was single sourced to renovate state house at a whoping sum of $4 million.
We have jusr=t been watching you. verify USD4M
Watching yyou, Why are you thraetening peole from saying the truth? yes mr chikwanda was paid $4 million without declaring interest and without due tender procedure.
When UPND comes into power in 2016 under the leadership of HH, the same thing will happen to the PF leaders, it’s a political formular…and it will continue until Jesus comes to roundup everyone of that sort!!!!!
Ine am tired of hearing these words every time after general elections. Ala they shouldn’t start blowing their horns as if they are doing a great job.. this should have been done whilst MMD was in power – if they aren’t corrupt as well they should be finding corrupt leaders even in the current govt (if any) and keep everyone from being corrupt.. just go to our brain drained UTH for simple service like blood test, try to find a school place for your child or even seek help from ZP (all corrupt!!!).. its obvious Judiciary is not independent at all.. you’d have to ‘nchekelako’ first to get results. Ba IG.. Shame on you and Judiciary itself.
How does one investigate plunder cases with a smiling girlfriend next. But life is unfair sure this kanjela i used to do her at UNZA and agreed to marry, immediately she got a police Job things changed for Dr Malama, who looks like Idi amin Dada. Yah Good luck E.K
The wheel of justice got a flat tire
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