By Merlyn Mwanza
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has mentioned all the investigations and prosecutions they have been conducting, mostly highlighting those involving former leaders, but there was no mention of the one prominent case involving the most senior official to have been fired in the UPND administration Dr George Magwende.
President Hakainde Hichilema in August 2022 fired Health permanent secretary (Administration) Dr Magwende, and hours later the ACC announced that they were investigating him over alleged irregularities on the $100 million for Covid hospitals.
Since then other issues have emerged on the same matter with Health minister Sylvia Masebo trading counter arguments with the company that was awarded the contract.
However, while the ACC mentioned all the cases they have been investigating and prosecuting the $100 million one was conspicuously missing from their statement.
“In the third quarter, the Commission received a total of 181 reports of suspected corruption. Of the 181 cases received, 180 reports were authorized for investigations. As of 30th November 2022, the total number of cases under investigations were 1,264 and 108 investigation cases had been concluded with 29 arrests effected countrywide.
Some of the individuals arrested during the third quarter on different charges are as follows: (i) Former Special Assistant for Economy to President Edgar Lungu Hibeene Mwiinga, his wife and son; (ii) Former Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale and Savenda Group of Companies Director and Shareholder Clever Mpoha;
(iii) Ndozo Lodges Proprietor and Shareholder Chrint Sichamba and his wife and son;
(iv) Former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo; (v) Former Director for Forestry Department Ignatius Makumba, ACK General Dealers Director and Shareholder, Ackson Tembo, Bruce Aongola, Zambia National Service (ZNS) Director of Operations Col. Maliwa Muwanei involving illegal exportation of
Mukula logs,” the ACC stated in part. “(vi) Former Minister of Tourism Ronald Chitotela;
(vii) Former Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Administration Kakulubelwa Mulalelo involving the supply of 50 Ambulances to the Ministry; (viii) Directors of Honey Bee Pharmacy Limited Abdurrauf Motala, Zakir Motala, and Imran Runat for uttering of false documents. (ix) Former Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo and his wife;(x) Arrest of former Minister of Justice Given Lubinda.”
The Commission further stated that they intercepted and seized US$399,500.00 from two Turkish Businessmen Hakki Sahutoglu, Director of Denniz Company Limited and Sezer Sahutoglu and restricted a sum of US$ 216,000 money that were wired to Chief Nkana and also restricted US$ US$ 3,474,150.00 belonging to Savenda Systems Limited which was about to be moved from a local account.
“During the quarter, nineteen (19) cases were before the courts of law, three (3) cases were pending judgment, eight (8) cases were appealed while four (4) convictions were also secured. The summary statistics for the year so far shows that the total number of arrests effected has reached 71 with 8 convictions secured. In addition, the total number of investigated cases concluded is 284 while over five million people have been reached through various sensitization activities,” the commission stated/
The commission reiterated the government’s zero tolerance to corruption, saying they will only fulfill their mandate in partnership with the Zambian people and that it was therefore incumbent on all citizens to abhor corruption and to report the same to the commission.
“The Anti-Corruption Commission is equal to the task and it will not fail to deliver on its mandate. Let me, therefore send a timely warning to all public officials presently in government and quasi government agencies that abusing public coffers will cause them to pay a high price. Corruption is evil and all well-meaning Zambians should abhor it.
I thank you,” stated the commission.
