Friday, March 29, 2024

Publication of Intelligence data by FIC has Compromised Investigations by Law Enforcement Agencies

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Commissioner of the Drug Enforcement Commission Alita Mbahwe
Commissioner of the Drug Enforcement Commission Alita Mbahwe

The Drug Enforcement Commission is concerned with the publication of raw intelligence data by the Financial Intelligence Center as it compromises investigations by law enforcement agencies.

Commissioner of the Drug Enforcement Commission Alita Mbahwe said this is because the same intelligence report disseminated to law enforcement agencies is also disseminated to the public and, therefore, jeopardizes investigations as the perpetrators are alerted and begin to destroy vital evidence.

Mrs. Mbahwe said in some cases due to the manner in which information is verified, foreign nationals have fled the country upon realising that they are under investigation following inquiries made by the FIC.

She said further, the intelligence reports disseminated to law enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Commission sometimes turn out to be false on inquiry leading to closure of cases, a situation which is always misconstrued as inaction by investigative wings.

Mrs. Mbahwe said in certain instances, the method of intelligence gathering used, such as seizure of documents from various institutions affects the quality of investigations as other supporting documents that may not have been collected are destroyed before investigative wings move in.

She said this in some situations leads to closure of cases due to insufficient evidence or closure due to un-detection.

Mrs. Mbahwe said despite the workload and complex nature of Money Laundering investigations, the Commission has been working round the clock to ensure that each report is treated on a case-by-case basis by looking at the merits of each individual case for eventual arrest and prosecution.

She explained that Money Laundering cases take a long time to be concluded and has assured members of the public that the Commission is actively working to fulfil its mandate and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the nation.

Mrs. Mbahwe said DEC has on several occasions engaged the Financial Intelligence Centre on the need to review their modus operandi to avoid compromising investigations as well as creating a false impression.

She expressed hope that steps will be taken in this regard because part of the assessment criteria for money laundering compliance with international standards is the effective collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the Financial Intelligence Centre.

Mrs. Mbahwe said there is need for effective collaboration and coordination if Zambia is to fight all offences such as corruption, tax evasion, fraud, drug trafficking and money laundering in Zambia.

And Mrs. Mbahwe said the Commission received 16 cases out of the total number of reports indicated as being disseminated to law enforcement agencies, accounting for 20% and approximately K22 million of the total amount indicated in the FIC Trends Report.

Mrs. Mbahwe told a Media briefing that the 16 cases are currently under investigation at various stages and DEC will update members of the public on the action taken at an opportune time in order to avoid jeopardising the legal prospects of the cases.

She said while it does not please the Commission to discuss issues of security and intelligence nature in the press, they have been left with no option but to set the record straight in view of the impression created in which law enforcement agencies such as the DEC are seen to be inert or inept in the investigation of intelligence reports disseminated.

Mrs. Mbahwe said while DEC appreciates that the role of the Financial Intelligence Centre is to educate the public and reporting entities of their obligations as well as inform them of measures to detect, prevent and deter money laundering and financing of terrorism or proliferation, they are of the view that this report should not be published in the manner it has been in the past few years.

She said Information can either be constructive or destructive depending on how it is managed or disseminated.

Mrs. Mbahwe said it is therefore, important that information is disseminated to the rightful audience in line with a well thought out communication strategy to avoid speculation and undue pressure on Investigative Wings.

She said this therefore, means that the FIC should have different information prepared for their different audiences and not the current trend.

53 COMMENTS

  1. You cannot destroy electronic evidence held by the banks. You are just incompetent. On which planet are these apes living?

    • Nonsense.

      It’s in th public’s interest especially with the underhand refusal to be transparent with the debt situation in your country.

      I’m a phd holder

      Thanks

      BB2014,2016

    • Alita Mbahwe has over stayed at DEC and not in tune with modern trends. If foreign national have fled the country, can’t they be followed up or reported to law enforcement to whichever countries they have gone?

    • What that hotty chick is the boss for DEC? Too humble and innocent.
      You mean uyu gelo can arrest abena Findley na Kaizer?
      No wonder only DEC cases we hear is burning marijuna .
      DEC should be pep[le like Mumbi Phiri or Martha Mushipe.

    • Nostra…. – Incoherent comments again your friends have grown up this site but you still behave like a toddler!!

    • Rosa Luxemburg once said “The most revolutionary thing one can do is to proclaim loudly what is happening”. The FIC Report is a good thing .The public are entitled to the FIC report .The corrupt in PF Government are trying to use technicalities to cover up massive corruption unearthed by the FIC Report. It is only the corrupt led by the chieftain of corruption,ECL, that are uncomfortable with the FIC Report. What a nice thing this FIC Report! It has unsettled and exposed the corrupt and powerful and made them tremble!

    • What DEC head is said does not make sense, if anything she was just told to say things like this and police and ACC will follow so as to create an impression that the law enforcement agencies as not happy with FIC release of data. This will in turn give the president a fake ground to amend the FIC act. This has been the Pf agenda. Keeping people in the dark is meant to allow those who are thieves to steal without any fear of detection. Let’s resist these tricks at all costs. Why are people in Government so un conformable about FIC? We are fed up of governance by tricks.

    • What do you expect when you have cadres heading serious investigative wings? How much success can you achieve if you were to ask the goat to investigate the one who is eating imimena? Are we all foolish fellow Zambians?

    • Bamayo, just eat your money now on and pretend to serve the nation, but the day will come when your revelations will not need a thick blanket to cover your idiocy.

    • Publication of raw intelligence data to the Public by the Financial Intelligence Centre is good for the nation, this will I hope deter corruption. Everyone is aware that DEC, ACC, ZRA and other crime fighting agencies are state captured and if these are allowed to investigate in secret, corruption will continue to thrive

    • We need to urgently work to put in Government institutions men and women who will help restore honesty, decency and law fullness in governance. Some of the heads of institutions are just there for personal survival and not to serve the nation. That’s why they talk like their guilt political masters. People now know a lot, trying to paint FIC black won’t work, it will only anoy the masses. How can it be the same report without the names of banks, PEPs, dates and other things? The reports given to the law enforcement has this information,. Please madam DEC boss don’t lie to please your appointing authority. Lies have short legs. Infact FIC has helped a lot by exposing criminals. Anyone against FIC is an enemy of progress

    • Which means they don’t want us 2 be knowing the out come of the reports?coz even last time it was the
      same.it’s our resources(money)

    • I BELIEVE DEC! FIC’S TEETHING PROBLEMS.
      FIC, the new kid on the block must protect investigators’ sources and methods. Can the public properly handle and appreciate raw data? Like FIC report rightly put it, no cause for epileptic reactions and fits, policies that should emanate must also guide and institute FIC report stages of release with a final copy reaching the public. No wonder others are seeing this as a politically inclined report. You gotta be kidding me if you think your report will draw the same kind’a reactions. Matures don’t perceive it that way. Fainthearted goons like double h draw talking points and reach conclusions.
      FIC is cool. We need FIC.

  2. I think the headline should read “Publication of intelligence data by FIC has exposed compromised Law Enforcement Angencies”

    • When I say there is a lack of leadership in Zambia this is exactly what I mean….supposing for one moment time was rewinded and Lazy Lungu got his jet two days ago and commended FIC and emphasized on law enforcement agencies following up on whatever cases are in the report. If he publicly called for investigation of any of his ministers involved in corruption.Do you think this DEC lady Alita would be making such statements she would have said that would have said investigations are ongoing. When the choirmaster is lazy and not serious… do you really expect the choir to produce quality songs?

    • Nothing like any of that, it has simply exposed the unrevealed stupid criminals who will do all they can to insult their own creation

  3. Iwe LT, she is not Mrs but Ms. Akalimo mufana! I hope no one is touching , touching her. When I retire back to the motherland, who knows…..!! I will need someone to grow old with on a farm, growing oranges!

  4. So this report was unveiled with pomp and splendor and the AG was there as guest of honour. So what are DEC saying that the AG was wrong??

    • Its all lies they are trying to cheat people…the report that the public receives and what these agencies receive are totally different reports. We receive the Financial Trend Report which just gives “trends” no names and they receive security intelligence report with all names and figures so how does a trend compromise an intelligence report. Its clear the dont have the stomach to act on any of the contents in front of them because their boss is unconcerned.
      This is the difference between Mwanwasa and this bum we have in State house today who wants to get 5 years doing absolutely nothing but dancing like everything is fine.

  5. OK but ba PF have really damaged once respected government agencies zoona, almost everyone has zero confidence in any of them! Congrats guys, mwalibako bad.

  6. Mrs. Mbahwe, surely you meant to say that FIC publication has compromised your well established practice of cower up?

  7. If it is true that the intelligence report disseminated to law enforcement agencies is the same one put out to the public at the same time,then I will agree with the DEC Commissioner’s concerns.Our investigative wings are not yet sophisticated enough to detect crime simultaneously with the time of publication and evidence could indeed be interfered with.We need to modernize law enforcement crime-fighting abilities and capabilities.
    Law enforcement agencies,however must be obliged to publicize cases that are closed to insufficient evidence
    It is also true that very close collaboration among law enforcement agencies is critical to detect and prosecute organized crime

  8. Lies have short legs.

    FIC wrote 6.1 million US dollars.(definitely exaggerated)

    DEC is reports that 16 cases were issued to them from FIC office this amount to 20%(K22m) of the cases they published.

    FIC has turned out to be USELESS office.Their reports and publication definitely have been using sponsored propaganda.

    I even wonder why all these lies and false publications by FIC,CA,MOODY’S and BLOOMBERG TABLOIDS .

    • You dumb fooools …where do you think FIC gets those figures you think they cook those figures? That like disputing ZRA publications of contraband they intercepted.

  9. Firstly, she is not all that.

    Secondly, enough of excuses. All the invvestigative wings need a complete over haul. Nothing meaningful will ever come out of them. We know how compromised they have been.

  10. Aren’t these offices supposed to coordinate? We call these Chapter 9 institutions; the more annoying they become the more likely they are hitting a chord. I believe by the time us mere mortals read the report the investigative wings should have already moved way ahead of the curve. PA Zed cabe Pali mwdabwiso mwe. Even the President appears clueless about this… Oh wait he should be ka!!!!

  11. Now they come out to complain after lungu complained in his
    “ mfwiti mfwiti “ rant on the airport tarmac…….

    They only act when lungu farts and pretends that they are independent, they are not independent, lungu always gives them the go ahead to pretend to be active

    • True, the big boss man & his resigning side kick have set the mfwiti tone for all the investigative agencies to attack the FIC report and their modus operandi. Would Alita dare pass those comments if big boss man had praised the report?
      Its really time to sweep the whole place clean, without strong institutions we are dead in the water.

  12. Nothing wrong with FIC!
    Something very wrong with DEC!
    I think FIC has exposed DEC and ACC incompetence, hence these sour grapes!
    There is nothing wrong with Whistle blowing even if nothing is found during investigations!
    On which side are you ba DEC, the Citizens or Mfwiti Mfwiti?
    What have you done about the Swaziland Mansion?
    Stop aiding and abating corruption!

  13. Nothing wrong with FIC!
    Something very wrong with DEC!
    I think FIC has exposed DEC and ACC incompetence, hence these sour grapes!
    There is nothing wrong with Whistle blowing even if nothing is found during investigations!
    On which side are you ba DEC, the Citizens or Mfwiti Mfwiti?
    What have you done about the Swaziland Mansion?
    Stop aiding and abating corruption!!!!

  14. Nothing wrong with FIC!
    Something very wrong with DEC!
    I think FIC has exposed DEC and ACC incompetence, hence these sour grapes!
    There is nothing wrong with Whistle blowing even if nothing is found during investigations!
    On which side are you ba DEC, the Citizens or the corrupt?
    What have you done about the Swaziland Mansion?
    Stop aiding and abating corruption!!!!

  15. A lot of hot air! This is fake news, I’m sure.

  16. @ Jay Jay and Nzelu, my first line was a reaction to Nostra. and one or two others who commented on her looks. In the second paragraph I go on to state what I think of the issue at hand! – Which you ignore and YOU, yourselves make a type of comment you think I shouldn’t make (hypocrites!) Then you assume I am a female who may have been challenged. PLEASE, don’t try and score accolades with your haste to appear cleverer than others. YOU stick to the issues, punks.

  17. Its time Zambian leaders became accountable…. These embezzlements definitely their trail cannot be completely erased. Lets be serious bane. For once let’s be patriotic and love this country genuinely.
    We cannot afford to move at this wave length of gross theft and corruption as a country. This country is morally and economically on fire, BOZ governor said ..there is little money in circulation that’s why the kwacha is getting weak by the day as GRZ is not paying arrears to suppliers of goods and services.
    Then you have leaders who are sluggish or relaxed to act on issues of embezzlement of HUGE SUMS OF MONEY IN BILLIONS.
    AWE MAY GOD ARISE AN RESCUE US…
    GOD PLEASE INTERVENE ON OUR BEHALF. GIVE OUR LEADERS WISDOM TO LEAD AND MAKE POLICIES TO BENEFIT THE COUNTRY ..NOT…

  18. Well done FIC!! What you are doing is in line with PF policy of empowering the people. This is empowering the people with knowledge and information so that they can contribute effectively to fighting corruption and all other kinds of crime. To me this kind of empowerment is more effective to developing the country for the benefit of all its citizens than those donations by politicians whose sources we do not know, funds not accounted for, thise donations actuallg amount to corruption and bribing the public to ignore crimes against them. In fact, the FIC report exposes the corrupt source of those “donations” which to alll intents and purposes amount to money laundering.
    So imwe ba DEC just get on with your job, don’t be lazy atase!!!

  19. …tell me for example the source of those millions of kwacha worth of personal or family donations to residents of Kabushi or other constituencies or churches when the donors have no traceable source of income to account for those so called donations?
    So iwe Alita Mbahwe, here is a clue where to start your investigations, rather than being unhappy at the hard work of the FIC.

  20. ……by the way trib.als are not immune from corrupt activities, especially those inside government.
    So Trib.al Hacks must stop pontificating to us.

  21. Mrs. Mbahwe, you have to do us a favour before you start discrediting another institution where your credibility is in the first place? A few simple questions. Have you stopped planting illicity drugs on innocent people?? How and what prompted you to start that type of scheme?? We know you have been sent to attack FIC by Lungu. What is your mandate?? So far which major cases, Mukula, Fire tenders, Postal Cash, Swazi plot, Toll gates, Lusaka- Ndola road and other over inflated and improperly awarded tenders have you finalised and successfully managed to get convictions. You are better off shutting up. You useless lot.

  22. Hopeless, good for nothing no stamina to do anything unless boss directs. Just tiring the great leader

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