Maravi

‘Govt ready to discuss with Katumbi over his money’

By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Wed 24 Feb. 2010, 03:10 CAT

CHIEF government spokesperson Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has said the Zambian government is ready to dialogue with DRC Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi over his stolen money and emeralds.

Commenting on Katumbi’s intention to sue the Zambian government over his missing emeralds and money in an account at Zanaco that was seized by the abolished Task Force on Corruption, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the government was not aware about the account being broken into.

“The Zambian government is ready to dialogue with Katumbi before he can take us to court. DRC and Zambia are friends and if Katumbi has got some grievances, he should come and we can dialogue with him,” Lt Gen Shikapwasha said.

“Zambia enjoys good business relations with DRC. But if after dialogue he still feels he wants to take us to court then we will go to court but we are going to try to dialogue with him.”

Katumbi on Monday threatened to sue the Zambian government for allegedly breaking into his seized Zanaco account and getting his precious stones worth billions of kwachas.

In an interview at his office in Lubumbashi, Katumbi said after he signed an agreement with late president Levy Mwanawasa that his property and all his seized assets be returned to him, he went to Zanaco and found that his stone, emeralds and some money were missing.

Katumbi said he had demanded an explanation from the now disbanded Task Force on Corruption, to explain the whereabouts of his stones, a trunk-full of emeralds and some money, but they did not give a satisfactory answer.

He said last week Zanaco Bank called his lawyer asking him to go and collect his assets.

“In my Zanaco account, I had some money, a stone and a trunk full of emeralds. Where did it go when I went to get it? These are the answers I want. I was called all sorts of names when my things were confiscated,” complained Katumbi.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Katumbi had the right to choose his friends.

Commenting on Katumbi’s statement that President Rupiah Banda was not his friend as perceived by many people, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said, “Mr Katumbi has the right to choose his own friends. We cannot choose who should be Mr Katumbi’s friends. But as far as we are concerned, Zambia and DRC are friends and we are going to continue to be relating the same way we have been even if Mr Katumbi sued the government.”

Asked if the government would pay former Tamba Bashila workers’ terminal benefits, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said Katumbi’s grievances should be given to the government for examination and assessment.

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the arms of the government would conclude and decide what to do with Tamba Bashila workers after investigations.

Labels: KATANGA PROVINCE, KATUMBI, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA

posted by MrK @ 4:47 AM