Maravi

Police, ACC and DEC interrogate ex-defence chiefs over state funds

Police, ACC and DEC interrogate ex-defence chiefs over state funds
By Maluba Jere
Fri 25 Nov. 2011, 13:55 CAT

RECENTLY-retired defence and service chiefs were on Wednesday interrogated by a combined team of officers from the investigative wings over state funds amounting to about K2 billion.

The money in question is believed to have been misappropriated during campaigns for the September 20 general elections.

A source yesterday said that the retired defence and service chiefs - former Zambia Army commander Lieutenant General Wisdom Lopa, former ZAF commander Lieutenant General Andrew Sakala and former ZNS commandant Major General Anthony Yeta - were summoned by the investigative wings to the former Task Force on Corruption offices in Woodlands.

The source said the former defence and service chiefs appeared at the former Task Force offices on Wednesday morning and that some of them went back in the afternoon the same day.

The source also said the generals were questioned on allegations of abuse of authority of office charges relating to about K2 billion believed to have been misapplied during campaigns for the September 20 general elections.

"The investigators said the money is believed to have been misappropriated during the campaigns. They said the service chiefs got this money and used it for other things," said the source.

When contacted for a comment yesterday, Nganga Yalenga who is representing Lt Gen Sakala confirmed the summoning of his client by the law enforcement agencies.

Yalenga said his client was summoned by the investigative wings and appeared before the team in the morning and afternoon.

"Our client was summoned and interviewed for about 2 hours on abuse of authority of office allegations," said Yalenga.

A number of officials from the previous government, among them former mines minister Maxwell Mwale and former education minister Dora Siliya, have appeared before the same team of investigators on alleged abuse of office and state funds.

Siliya has since described her interrogation as "persecution" by President Michael Sata's government.

Upon winning the September 20 elections, President Sata, during his inauguration, promised to fight corruption and prosecute those involved regardless of their status in society, adding that he was "allergic to corruption".

Labels: ACC, ARMED FORCES, DEC, DORA SILIYA, MAXWELL MWALE

posted by MrK @ 6:41 PM