Maravi

Most plunderers are jittery – Nkole

Most plunderers are jittery – Nkole
Written by Lambwe Kachali and Allan Mulenga
Monday, December 29, 2008 9:24:42 AM

TASK Force on Corruption chairman Max Nkole yesterday said former president Frederick Chiluba was issuing unwarranted statements because he has felt the heat of the work of the Task Force.

And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president Rueben Lifuka has said that Chiluba is just raving and ranting by accusing the Task Force on Corruption of conniving with The Post to push propaganda against him.

In an interview, Nkole said most alleged corrupt people and plunderers of national resources with cases in court were jittery with what the Task Force was doing.

Nkole said the Task Force was not surprised at Chiluba's outbursts against the institution because he was scared of the level at which his cases had reached.

"I agree entirely with what the Attorney General Mumba Malila has said in today's [yesterday's] Post," Nkole said. "You know the Task Force has registered tremendous success on all fronts abroad and at home including the return of the fugitives. And most of the cases at home are being cleared while some of them are at defence stage. So, the overall picture is that the Task Force has worked tremendously well and very effectively. So it [Task Force] is scaring a lot of people including Chiluba. For us, such outbursts are expected from many other people involved in these cases."

He said the Task Force was not shaken by Chiluba's allegations and vowed to continue and finish all cases.

Nkole said it was disrespectful for Chiluba to say that the Attorney General required legal counsel, saying Malila had constitutional powers to advise him [Chiluba] whenever he was wrong.

"I think it is not the right word to use to the Attorney General. He is the chief legal and government legal officer. So the Attorney General knows exactly the status of his [Chiluba] cases and the Attorney General has got powers to advise him. I further agree with the Attorney General's observation that Chiluba is just trying to divert the attention. But we are determined to go ahead and complete these cases and finish them. Dr Chiluba is scared of the work that we are doing. He has felt the heat. We have been able to fish out the fugitives, they have come and have been arrested," he said.

Nkole said he wished Chiluba could clear his cases soon so that he could begin to live a normal life again.

"The attack on the Task Force is unfortunate because the Task Force has done a commendable job on these corruption cases. So I would only say that please let us allow the process of the law to move so that these cases can clear. We wish him well so that he can clear his cases in good time so that normality can return," said Nkole.

And Lifuka urged Chiluba to stop taking Zambian people for granted, as well as insulting their intelligence.

"On former president Chiluba's raving and ranting, we find this unwarranted and a vain attempt to divert attention from the cases that are before the courts of law. The allegations made against him [Chiluba] are serious and should not be trivialised by such comments," he said.

Lifuka reminded Chiluba how he sought evidence whenever he was confronted with questions about his misdeeds during his tenure of office.

"During his reign, Chiluba always asked for evidence when challenged on corruption that was evident in his administration. Today, he is facing a stern test where the Task Force and other law enforcement agencies are satisfying his wish for evidence by raising key details in court," he said.

Lifuka further advised Chiluba to use the courts to clear himself of the blame rather than resorting to throwing mud at everyone.

"Let him use the courts to absolve himself of blame but he should not do this by throwing mud at everyone," said Lifuka.

On Saturday, Malila said Chiluba was lying that the Zambian government entered a consent judgement with his Swiss tailor Antonio Basile who has been ordered to pay back US $1.2 million taxpayers’ money which was used to buy his suits, shirts, pyjamas and shoes.

Malila was reacting to Chiluba's claims that the London judgement had collapsed following a successful appeal by Meer Care & Desai in the House of Lords, which Malila dismissed as a lie.

However, Chiluba also maintained that the Task Force had actively engaged in acts of propaganda and deception.

Labels: CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, MAX NKOLE, RUEBEN LIFUKA, TIZ

posted by MrK @ 9:24 AM