Maravi

ACC asks Chitoba to avail himself for arrest

ACC asks Chitoba to avail himself for arrest
By Joseph Mwenda and Bivan Saluseki
Monday November 26, 2007 [03:00]

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked Drug Enforcement Commissioner Ryan Chitoba to avail himself for arrest. And ACC spokesperson Timothy Moono yesterday disclosed that DEC deputy commissioner for administration and training Jacob Koyi and his assistant Charles Ndulumina were arrested for theft of public funds totaling over K344.8 million. In a press statement yesterday, Moono stated that ACC was pursuing Chitoba for arrest.

“Efforts by the ACC to contact him have so far proved futile. The ACC is appealing to Mr. Chitoba to avail himself to the ACC so that the due process of the law can take its course,” Moono’s statement read in part.

And Moono stated that Koyi, 53, of Plot 483/40A, Linda Road in Makeni, and Ndulumina, 37, of plot 220, Chainama, Lusaka were jointly arrested for one count of theft of public funds totalling K344, 878, 420 million cash.

He stated that the money came into their possession by virtue of their employment.
“It is alleged that between 17th May 2006 and 30th April 2007 in Lusaka, Koyi, Ndulumina and another person unknown, did steal the said money by way of bank withdrawals from a Drug Enforcement Commission Asset Forfeiture Account held at Barclays Bank, Mutaba Branch without the required authority and knowledge of the Government of the Republic of Zambia,” Moono stated.

He further stated that the two were released on bond and would appear in court on December 7, 2007.

And Transparency International Zambia president Reuben Lifuka yesterday said Chitoba seemed to be getting off the hook.

Commenting on Koyi’s arrest, Lifuka said TIZ was disappointed that the issues surrounding the two were taking long to be concluded.

He said ACC should arrest Chitoba unless they have no evidence against him.
Lifuka said the ACC should be bold enough and clear Chitoba if they have no evidence against him.

"The ACC should be bold enough in dealing with issues of corruption and should not appear to be selective in dealing with cases of corruption," Lifuka said, urging ACC to be very bold in dealing with the DEC issue.

He said TIZ wanted to see investigations extended to Chitoba so that if there was evidence against him, he should equally be arrested. Lifuka said it seemed the fight against corruption was selective.

However, Lifuka warned some people not to think that they were untouchable.

"Where is Joseph Mulyata (Southern Province minister)? What has happened to Mulyata? Now we have Chitoba who seems to be getting off the hook," Lifuka said.

He said it was important that issues of Mulyata and Chitoba came to a conclusion.
Lifuka said Koyi's arrest confirmed TIZ's fears of abuse of office at DEC.

He said TIZ wanted to see a sense of urgency in the fight against corruption. Police sources revealed that investigations against Chitoba were completed except that they were having difficulties in effecting his arrest.

"It looks like it is not very easy to reach or approach Mr. Chitoba so we don't know how this matter will be handled," the source said. "There are talks to involve the Inspector General of Police but so far nothing has happened."

Koyi was suspended in August a few weeks after Chitoba's suspension to pave way for investigations into the financial scandals they were alleged to be involved in at DEC.

Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, DEC, RYAN CHITOBA

posted by MrK @ 10:28 AM