Sunday, November 10, 2024

Findings of Corruption probe at Zambia Railways handed to Mutembo Nchito for action

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Zambia Railways Board of Directors Chairperson Mark Chona (centre) shares a light moment with Deputy Board of Directors Chairperson Professor Oliva Saasa (left) and Zambia Railways Managing Director Professor Clive Chirwa
Zambia Railways Board of Directors Chairperson Mark Chona (centre)
shares a light moment with Deputy Board of Directors Chairperson
Professor Oliva Saasa (left) and Zambia Railways Managing Director
Professor Clive Chirwa

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has handed over the findings of its investigation on allegations of corruption by former Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) chief executive officer Clive Chirwa and the disbanded Board to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mutembo Nchito.

The investigations instituted in April, this year were in connection with alleged corrupt practices and abuse of authority of office by Prof Chirwa and the dissolved ZRL Board of Directors led by chairperson, Mark Chona.

“With regard to the Zambia Railways Limited matter and in relation to allegations of corruption against the former CEO Clive Chirwa and the Board, I wish to confirm that inquiries through Anti-Corruption Commission were concluded and the matter or the docket is with the DPP for further indulgence. So, investigations have been concluded and the docket is with the DPP for perusal, further indulgence and guidance.

That is the current status with regard to the Zambia Railways case,” Mr Moono said.

ACC public relations manager Timothy Moono said this during the Commission’s second quarter media briefing in Lusaka yesterday.

In April, this year, then, Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister, Christopher Yaluma, announced the dissolution of the Board, which was inducted in January this year.

President Michael Sata in a letter dated April 22, 2013 announced the suspension of Prof Chirwa who was last month retired.

In another development, Mr Moono said the Commission had begun analyzing judgments of nullified by-elections, hinting that it was currently scrutinizing five cases, among them the Petauke Central seat formerly held by MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya.

“With regard to the nullification of the seat held by former MP, Dora Siliya, in Petauke, probably I will reiterate my opening statement that we have currently begun analyzing judgments not just for the Petauke seat, but for a number of seats that were nullified.

“Others were the Mulobezi, Kapiri Mposhi, Chipata Central, Lukulu West and Malambo Constituency by-elections.We have begun analyzing these cases to establish elements of electoral corruption that came forth,” he said.

Mr Moono said the ACC was also close to concluding investigations into corruption against the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) board.

In this year’s Auditor General’s Report on parastatal institutions, Mr Moono said the Commission had in the second quarter analysed the document and had to that effect considered 40 cases for investigation.

The ACC had continued investigating the 19 cases instituted from last year’s Auditor General’s Report.

Mr Moono said the Commission had during the second quarter received a total of 446 reports and during the period it had recorded 20 arrests countrywide, 14 convictions and four acquittals.

Meanwhile, the ACC had arrested JCHX Mining and Construction shift boss Geoffrey Kalunga, 58, for corrupt practices by private person involving K400, 000 contrary to the ACC Act.

Mr Kalunga appeared before the Kitwe Magistrate Court on Thursday and had since been granted bail.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Why can’t ACC let us know what’s in the report before its handed to Nchito? Where is the transparency? Is it going to take the speaker to force the minister of home affairs to issue a statement? This is a joke.

  2. Since the Anti-Corruption Commission has concluded the findings of its investigation on allegations of corruption by former Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) chief executive officer Clive Chirwa and the disbanded Board, the GENERAL PUBLIC deserve to be told the findings by the Anti-Corruption Commission and NOT by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mutembo Nchito. YES, WE NEED TO KNOW not through the third party.

    • Spot on…. this why we need more robust and proactive Parliamentary Select Committees to publicly scrutinise these heads of departments like DEC, ACC and ZP and gov’t owned company heads like ZESCO, Zamtel etc.

  3. One thing clear for sure is that a case has being established and all required is for DPP to sanction. Otherwise they could have announced as they did for GBM and Kabimba.

  4. And then there is the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) board probe in all honesty how long does it take to investigate such a simple case. ACC needs NOT only to be more independent BUT urgently needs to update its investigative strategies.

    This is tax payers funds going to waste here all this dissolving of boards and paying off CEOs in retirement benefits for a months work. Where is the accountability and transparency….where is the absentee president? Just imagine how much noise Sata would make if he was in opposition RIGHT NOW. Zambians should passionate about such issues not pointless stadia names that will NOT put food on their tables.

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