The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has said that it will not shield any member found involved in financial crimes highlighted in the latest report of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).
LAZ President Eddie Mwitwa said that the Association has secured an appointment with the FIC to get more details concerning lawyers’ involvement in alleged financial crimes.
Mr. Mwitwa said that LAZ will be seeking more details and circumstances about lawyers that have been linked to the FIC report that has revealed alarming illicit financial deals.
Mr. Mwitwa said that LAZ will welcome initiatives by law enforcement agencies to find cause to prosecute lawyers and others found wanting, adding that the law body is keen to act against any possible misconduct by its members.
Mr. Mwitwa told ZNBC news in Lusaka yesterday that the Association has a robust practitioners committee that ensures lawyers adhere to standards of practice.
Mr. Mwitwa said the Association will further hold constant engagement with FIC to ensure LAZ members are sensitized on their obligations under the FIC Act.
Some law firms have been cited among conduits being used to perpetuate alleged financial crimes in the country. According to the report, the Centre analysed cases related to nine (9) law firms amounting to ZMW 365 Million.
The report further said identified law firms assisted suspected criminals to mask the source of funds and aided its reinvestment or movement to foreign jurisdictions.
Most cases involved illegally obtained funds transferred to law firms who then facilitated the acquisition of property such as land and motor vehicles on behalf of the launderers.
Interesting – surprised the police and ACC are not in the forefront of the investigations.
It is the right thug to do ofcourse.
I am a phd holder.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
This should the jobs for the police and Anti Corruption Commission as Mushota mentions above, assuming FIC report is spot on.
Why is FIC failing to name the thieves or pass the names and evidence to Authorities.
To some degree, I can understand Edgar Lungu when he says the report is speculative, without names tangible details
LAZ may get the names of corrupt vices and turn that in the opportunity of making money by defending the corrupt individuals.
I am sceptical. It may just be that LAZ is looking for clients to make money out of them.
If I was the Police Inspector General, I would smell a rat, subpoena FIC Team to disclose names and more trace of evidence.
The Captured pro PF LAZ is trying to trying to sound relevant when in actual fact they know they won’t be able to anything because the top big law wigs are involved
Your cartoon president says bring evidence problem is well known because is part of the most deals ministers are doing. 2021 is near one will cry like his old man
Last time FIC named culprits in the report, Lungu threatened to disband it and the director offered to resign. If it was not for the donor community weighing in the matter FIC would be gone by now.
Even in its current format, PF Lungu can instruct the ACC to follow up the links with the involved banks to identify the culprits. But no, Lungu is only targeting those threatening to remove him from power like Chitotela, Kambwili and so on. He has tried hard to force FIC to doctor the report so that HH and most UPND mps are implicated but no luck.
Now the reason why GBM jumped back to PF is here for all to see. GBM did not want to leave UPND but after being shown the FIC report that he is amongst those implicated, he quickly agreed to rejoin the party. If he hadnt gone back to PF GBM…
Eric Silwamba and Partners, Lewis Musho and Partners, Hopbrey Kabwe and Company, Makebi Zulu…….
Daniel 1.4 #. He is also you president. Just checking ???
What do you need to investigate?
Deal with the illegal KCM Liquidator first, then that criminal who surbotagely closed The Post Newspaper. You know those mumbwes, and who will protect them.
If Lawyers are coined in financial frauds ,where is the rule of law…?
Ever heard the cliche; “A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more money than a hundred thieves with guns!”
We’ve only got the LOO of law in Zambia
FIC is not mandated to give names but to point out irregular money flows.
LAZ know this and for them to ask FIC to give them names is a daming indictment of how Zambia’s investigative wings have been compromised by lungu.
How do you know? do you work for them? why do you like to put words in people’s mouths? This chap would blame Lungu even when the grass starts to dry up.
While that !mbecile of a president was flapping his !diotic lips ku airport calling the FIC report gossip! This coming from a president of a country????
It shows the !mbecile of a president is directly linked to the activities mentioned in the report.
How can sane president ignore such plunder and instead support the thieves and supporters of terror?
He will act as soon as Trump threatens heavy travel bans against PF leaders for ignoring or being complicity in terror supporting activities.
CIA and FBI dont play. They will demand to know the names of those involved from banks mentioned or else those banks will be black listed. Which bank can refuse US ‘s demands?
I am trying hard to stay professional on this one but something inside me tells me this guy is grandstanding. Nothing much will come out of this because some legal clauses will be invoked on the side of technicality and expediency – this way names will be permanently sealed off. Awe mwe!
Names will be unsealed if FBI and CIA are instructed by Trump to extract them. Remember bank of international money transfer is controlled by the US. All international money bank transfers have to pass through it. This is how sanctions are enforced.
Lungu should pray the FIC should not worry reach Trump.
Yes. Evidently. I know more stuff about Zed from Africa Confidential than from Zambian press releases. Just saying.
FIC acted professionally. The problem identification stage is completed and over. Stage 2: Prosecution can begin. To succeed, prosecution must cooperate and render full support to FIC. Where did the money come from? How much was involved? Stated purpose of transaction. Evidence preparation. Stage 3: Court adversarial trials can begin. The probability of some of the accused being found guilty is high. FIC is not a political party neither is it a civil society organization. FIC is a professional financial crimes intelligent unit. FIC needs support from experienced counterparts from any countries where financial crimes are well handled. The list of such countries includes Germany, Switzerland and UK.
And you think they are not getting it…when Chinese Exim bank pays Ministry, Ministry awards contract to AVIC then AVIC pays law firm Y who pays the Minister and PS of that Ministry. What is so difficult there? That’s corruption…
Do you need an appointment for that?