By Staff Reporter
Faith Musonda and the others are just pawns in the whole game as there aare very senior people involved in all this, says former commerce minister Bob Sichinga.
Speaking with Daily Revelation following the arrest of Faith Chisela Musonda for being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime, Sichinga said it was clear to everybody that there was rampant corruption under former president Edgar Lungu’s government, saying there was a bigger ring behind Musonda, “a bigger clique of corruption than what is being manifest right now.”
He said these investigations should be extended beyond Musonda to address the cancerous cycle.
“All these people were finding money on two basis, recompensed for procurement of one thing or another. Now that could not have been possible through the normal channels of ZPPA, because the rules are very clear. So for me is that this ought to extend beyond, all you have to do in audit we say you follow the audit trail. Just go to the award of the contracts that was made and say to the people at ZPPA, did you approve this or not?” Sichinga said. “And they will say ‘no!’ The next question is so who approved it? Or who instructed you to award? All these proceeds you are talking about, they were like reimbursement of the amounts which had been paid for legitimate commodities, but which were improperly done which were corruptly awarded and corruptly executed. And they are taking part of those proceeds and giving it back to the people that are in possession of all this.”
He said he was clear that there were “higher guys” involved.
“Those that were outside and were not awarded the contracts there is a connection with a particular contract. It is somebody senior who awarded it but these individuals were the conduits through which it is being done,” said Sichinga. “You think the amount of money that was found on Faith came from a small organization? Or it came from a senior person? No! That came from business contracts. I am saying pursue the business contracts”
The ACC has arrested Musonda over possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The full statement from ACC is provided below:
The Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested and charged Margaret Chisela Musonda alias Faith Musonda with being in possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Margaret Chisela Musonda has been charged with being in possession of a property namely a house, number C5,1,D4-B in Lusaka’s Kingsland City, property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime contrary to Section 71 sub section 1 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No. 19 of 2010. Details are that on dates unknown but between 1st August 2020 and 30th June, 2021 in Lusaka jointly and whilst acting together with persons unknown, Ms. Musonda did acquire a house, number C5,1,D4-B in Kingsland City in Lusaka at a value of US$185,000.
The Commission wishes to clarify that the settlement between the State and Ms. Musonda which was signed in October this year not to prosecute her was only restricted to the K65 million, US$57,900 and a house which were surrendered to the State pursuant to Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act number 3 of 2012. The settlement was restricted to the true disclosure of the above funds and property and did not give her a blanket immunity from being investigated and prosecuted for any other offences she may have committed.
We wish to state that Commission continued with its investigations, and discovered that Ms. Margaret Chisela Musonda owns other properties suspected to be proceeds of crime. As a result, she was detained on 15th December 2021 and arrested on 16th December 2021 in accordance with the Laws of Zambia.
Ms. Musonda was released on Bond and will appear in court soon.
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