Police detain Kapoko

Police detain Kapoko
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe and Ernest Chanda
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:32:14 PM

FORMER human resource manager in the Ministry of Health Henry Kapoko was last Saturday picked up and detained at Woodlands Police Station in connection with the ongoing investigations in the K10 billion scam.

And Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja has sent former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Simon Miti on forced leave pending investigations into the corruption scandals at the ministry.

Kapoko's lawyer Nicholas Chanda yesterday confirmed that his client was picked up by the police on Saturday and spent a night at Woodlands Police Station.

Chanda said Kapoko was later moved to police force headquarters where he was still detained by press time.

"He was picked up yesterday [Saturday] and is currently at force headquarters. He was detained at Woodlands police where he spent a night," Chanda said.

The law enforcement agencies are investigating Kapoko in connection with the alleged corruption, theft and fraud.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has also seized and restricted property in excess of K3 billion allegedly belonging to Kapoko who now works at the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in the human resource department.

And Dr Kanganja, when asked if he would suspend Dr Miti following the latter's questioning by police on Saturday, confirmed having served Dr Miti with the suspension letter.

"I already did it, I did it the same day that I served the others with suspension letters. We want the law enforcement agencies to carry out smooth investigations, so I did my part," said Dr Kanganja.

Dr Miti, who is currently science and technology permanent secretary, is on the list of people being investigated by the ACC over a corruption scam involving about K10 billion from the Ministry of Health.

When contacted yesterday, Dr Miti said he could not comment on the matter.

"I don't think I can comment on that," Dr Miti said.

Last Saturday, police picked up Dr Miti to help in the investigations of the corruption scam at the Ministry of Health.

Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso confirmed that Dr Miti was interviewed but that he was not in custody.

Kapeso said several more officials from the Ministry of Health were picked up in connection with the scam last Friday and as of Saturday, there were 23 employees in custody.

And Zambia National Union of Health and Allied Workers (ZNUHAW) president Ozias Banda said Zambians could see light at the end of the tunnel in the K10 billion scam.

"This is good, we are getting somewhere and that is why I said no one should be shielded. We need to commend the Police, the ACC and DEC [Drug Enforcement Commission] for the job they are doing and as Zambians, we need to back them up with whatever we know so that at the end of the day, the country can be helped," Banda said.

International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihana said the revelations of the plundered billions of kwacha were terrifying, stinking and very disturbing considering the amounts and the number of people involved in the plunder.

Bishop Chihana said one wondered how these people could have the strength, courage and the ability to go ahead in the manner they had been doing it in the face of other plunder cases going on in the courts of law.

"Is it not amazing that, when we are just testifying and setting the standard before the fellow African nations that such shame is getting back to us and around us? We wonder whether the law is weak and is not being felt by the predators, either people's consciousness have simply collapsed and are dead completely or they are following the footsteps of their masters," he said.

Bishop Chihana said the stealing of public money had developed into a cancer and could only be stopped if all Zambians came together and agreed to fight this big demon called plunder and corruption.

Bishop Chihana said these plunderers were sometimes the ones who caused their fellow workers to down tools because of non-increment of salaries and suspending of wages awarded to them.

He said hospitals and clinics were not well equipped because of the wicked behaviour of the people occupying honourable offices.

"We cannot sit by and watch our own future being taken away from our hands without doing anything about it. These people that are involved it may seem they hate the nation, the people, and their own families to be doing such unthinkable things. As a church, we want to encourage all the law enforcing agencies to be brave and face the culprits without fear or favour and we highly commend the government for the job done and we encourage them not to relent but pursue the fight to all ministries questionable," he said.

Bishop Chihana urged President Rupiah Banda to allow the investigations to be extended to every ministry.

He said President Banda must allow the offices of the Auditor General, ACC, the police and the Office of the President to do their job effectively and efficiently without interference and intimidation.

"We need sanity in our country. We are disgusted by the behaviour of some of these government officers and only if a broom can be allowed to sweep and cleanse through and through to all ministries, otherwise the stinking shall continue and the wickedness shall increase and multiply a hundredfold," said Bishop Chihana.

The ACC unearthed a corruption scam in which over K10 billion government funds were suspected to have been corruptly obtained from the Ministry of Health.

President Banda later directed all civil servants and their agents who were currently under investigations in the K10 billion scam not to enter the Ministry of Health premises until further notice.

Last week, over 20 employees at Ministry of Health were sent on forced leave to pave way for investigations into the scam.

Operations at the ministry were temporarily suspended as law enforcement agents cordoned the area to ensure that people did not move evidence from the offices and some people from various departments were picked up for questioning at the police headquarters.

Following the revelations, the Swedish and Dutch governments suspended aid to Zambia's health sector.

The donors have withheld their aid pending the report of the forensic audit of the Ministry of Health.

The Swedish government, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), were to release about K59 billion while the Dutch government contributes K92 billion annually to the country's health sector.