Maravi

Given Lubinda reveals UPG’s bribery bank account

Given Lubinda reveals UPG’s bribery bank account
By Bright Mukwasa
Mon 15 Aug. 2011, 12:00 CAT

GIVEN Lubinda yesterday revealed to the press the bank account at Stanbic Zambia Limited, into which Universal Print Group (UPG), a South African company hired to print ballot papers and its representative Vik Vaid, paid money to bribe an ECZ official.

Addressing the press in Lusaka, Lubinda – the Kabwata PF parliamentary candidate – maintained that UPG was a corrupt company that did not deserve to participate in a serious national programme of conducting elections.

“On Thursday, 4th August 2011, I challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to deny that the contractor chosen to print the ballot papers for this year’s tripartite elections is corrupt, having been engaged in known acts of corruption, bribery and money laundering,” Lubinda said.

“My challenge was initially greeted with silence. Neither the ACC nor the ECZ moved to dispel my well-founded charge. I followed up my challenge to the ECZ and ACC with a letter to the chairperson of the ECZ, which I also copied to, among others, the ACC. In my letter, I expressed great concern at the issue of the corrupt and money laundering ways of UPG.

“I re-affirmed my assertion, as I do today, that UPG has been engaged in acts of corruption and money laundering with officers of the ECZ. I offered to provide details of some banking transactions that would prove my assertion. Rather than taking me up on this noble offer, the ECZ decided to reply in the most impolite fashion and failed or deliberately refused to address my concern.”

Lubinda said that was not the way such a serious issue raised by a concerned member of the public should be dealt with. He said the ECZ had a duty to entertain complaints and concerns from the public if they were going to do their work properly.

“When I read the letter sent to me by the ECZ director Mrs Priscilla Isaac, I was left wondering whether it was an official letter because it was written as though there was a private quarrel between myself and Mrs Isaac,” Lubinda said.

“The issues I have raised are not personal but matters of significant public interest. The ACC behaved in a more despicable fashion. Rather than inviting me for me to give them the details that I have, they decided to make the most fallacious statement as though their intention is to defend criminality. By law, ACC ought to protect the whistle-blower and not criminals. It is clear that the ACC knows about the corruption and bribery of UPG.”

Lubinda said for a start, he wished to challenge the ACC only on three of many facts concerning this matter.

“Number one, I challenge the ACC to deny that they have not interviewed anyone on the payment of bribes by UPG. Number two, does the ACC deny having information about Mr Vik Vaid, a representative of UPG who is a regular visitor to Zambia and in particular ECZ?” Lubinda asked.

“Further, does the ACC wish to deny that they have no knowledge of the fact that Mr Vik Vaid has been the courier of bribes on behalf of UPG. Number three, can ACC be clear on what they know about a current account number 0140034477502 at Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited?

“The ACC knows this matter and understand very well what I am talking about. It’s shameful that ACC director general Godfrey Kayukwa has decided to engage in lies. As a stakeholder, I am concerned that the ACC can tell a lie on such an important issue. I am also concerned that the Electoral Commission does not seem interested in sitting down with me to obtain details about the corruption of UPG.”

Lubinda said what UPG, through its managing director for the business division, Bharat Mehta, said in Saturday’s Zambia Daily Mail that UPG had never resorted to any corrupt practices to secure business amounted to nothing.

“His statement that UPG is a reputable and established print company which has a proud record of delivering print services to many countries through out Africa is totally false,” Lubinda said.

“Let him ask their very own member of staff Mr. Vik Vaid if he has not paid money into the account I have just given. We should not allow criminals to participate in our elections. These issues are being raised in the best interest of the nation. I am motivated not by malice, unlike ECZ, ACC and UPG are claiming. I have made myself available to both the ACC and ECZ. All they need to do is to assure me that the information I have will be used equally in national interest. Their conduct so far leaves me wondering whether they really are interested in pursuing this matter.”

Labels: ECZ, GIVEN LUBINDA

posted by MrK @ 1:16 PM