By Esther Chisola
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Gilbert Phiri says the state has no apology to make where the fight against corruption is concerned.
And Phiri wondered how serving leaders could be prosecuted for corruption when no one has reported them for wrongdoing.
Speaking at the Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) 2024 Anti-Corruption Conference in Kitwe, Phiri said the fight against corruption had nothing to do with politics but with those found wanting.
“We have no apologies to make for fighting corruption. And the fight against corruption is not political as you are made to believe. We are ruthlessly fighting corruption for the very reason that we want a bright future for our children. One thing you must understand is that corruption is not a victimless crime. There are victims of corruption,” he said.
Phiri said even those holding public offices if they abused their positions, the law would catch up with them.
“A public officer stealing money, abusing his office, is killing the Zambian people. When faced with a case of corruption, it doesn’t matter who is involved. From the standpoint of the National Prosecution Authority, even at the Anti-Corruption Commission, it will look political because you hold a political office but usually that’s none of my business,” he said
“If you dip your fingers in the national cookie jar, you don’t get away with it simply because you are a politician. It won’t happen. We need to agree as a nation, do we really mean to fight corruption? If the answer is yes, then it means we have to be ruthless. No sacred cows.”
Commenting on assertions of selective prosecution, Phiri wondered how one could be prosecuted if no one had reported them for any corruption activities.
“You say some people have not been prosecuted. Have you reported? The Anti-Corruption Commission now has even unknown whistle blowing. You can anonymously report. So, what stops people from reporting? We can’t simply say the minister looks fat or the DC looks fat since he was appointed. That’s not how we take cases to court,” he said.
“We must all agree that corruption is evil, dirty and unacceptable. Once we agree that it’s an evil activity, this is why we are not merciful to people that we think cannot justify what they own.”
He further explained why the state has moved the courts to forfeit properties suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Phiri added that the acceleration in the asset forfeiture endeavours was not because the state had the poverty mentality, but because people could justify what they had or what they had was associated with crime and the only resort for them was to move the court to forfeit those properties.
“I think that for us is key,” he said.
Phiri said the fight against corruption was not an overnight activity but something that would take a longtime.
“Depriving the criminal or the suspected criminal of proceeds of crime, and then you put them in their place. Restore the property to the rightful owner who are the Zambian people. We must all be convinced that corruption is bad and we must go for it. There must be national consensus and also, it will take a long time. It’s not an overnight thing,” said Phiri.
