Maravi

Rupiah's son okays probe of his father

Rupiah's son okays probe of his father
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Wed 04 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT

RUPIAH Banda's son Andrew, has asked the state to investigate his father if there are suspicions of wrongdoing during his tenure of office as president. And Andrew says he is equally ready to cooperate with the investigative wings because he has nothing to hide.

Calling India yesterday, Andrew, the second-born son of Banda, said even though he was very far from Zambia, he was aware of everything that was happening and it naturally affected him.

"It is my blood. I can never get away from that. I am affected by all this. But in all fairness, if the state feels that there is something that could have gone wrong during the tenure of the office of my father, let them investigate," he said

"It's like if you come out and say that ‘Mr Banda is a wizard' ‘Mr Banda is a wizard', prove that he is a wizard and if he is not a wizard, the people will say he is not a wizard and it will be proven. So if they have made all these allegations against my family, let them investigate including myself. Let them investigate and if the truth comes out, I will be found guilty or innocent. I cannot stop the investigations. Once they have done that, let the public be informed."

Andrew said he had no power to stop the investigations but if called, he would cooperate with the investigative wings.

The state-owned Zambia Daily Mail on Tuesday carried a story, which linked Andrew to corrupt activities.

The paper stated that Andrew coerced, threatened and received about K2 billion in two installments as a ‘kick-back' from an Italian company known as Fratelli Locci owned by Antonello Locci.

The paper alleged that Andrew was warned and cautioned by the police regarding the two percent payment running into billions of kwacha paid out to his company AB Logistics into his Indo Zambia bank account.

Andrew said his account at Indo Zambia Bank had never at any point held more than K300 million.

He said he was just a simple guy who runs a very simple transport company.

Andrew said there was documentation to account for all the money that had been received in his account and people had even been interviewed on the source of his income.

"I have never reached even K1 billion. If I had one billion it would be too much for me. That's why I am a civil servant. So to write that K2 billion was banked in my transport money account… I would like anybody to go and check my account to find out if I have ever held more than K300 million. I don't have that kind of money I can tell you that," he said

"If the money was deposited in that account, they can go and check that. I have no problems. I have another account at Stanbic Bank, my personal account where even my humble salary goes in, that account has never gone above K300 million."

He said he had known the Locci family since 2006 and he would never deny them.
Andrew said the Locci family had never given him K 2 billion.

He said he could have introduced them to Zambia but they had never paid him that kind of money.

Andrew also denied ever being warned and cautioned.

"I have never been warned and cautioned, I have never been called and maybe I am yet to be called by the investigative wings and if they do, I am a law abiding citizen and I will come immediately to give the side of my story. I have nothing to hide. I will come during the day, not at night. When the time comes I shall come. When they call me, I will come to give the side of my story," he said.

He explained that before he left to go into the diplomatic service, he used to operate from Olympia Park.

"But after I left, there was no point for me to have an office there. I am not a very flamboyant businessman. I left my accountant to look at the things that would have come in. I have always operated from Olympia Park but I no longer operate from there," he said,.

According to state media reports, Locci was awarded a contract by the Road Development Agency and was being probed as the government was concerned with the slow rates works had taken on the road that connects Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But Andrew said the Pedicle Road was not being constructed and what was happening at the moment was a probe to find out how those people got the contract.

He said the project had not even been launched yet.

"So at what point did they start working, unless I am lost myself. I am so far away from there. Even for investigative wings to give information to the newspaper, how can they give a story if indeed it is true and I don't believe that it is true that the investigators have released information to the Zambia Daily Mail that they warned and cautioned me when they have never warned and cautioned me," he said.

"Where did they warn and caution me? Was it here in India or Lusaka and on what date. They said they tried to contact me. On which number did they try to call me on? I challenge them to tell me. There was no side of my story because I understand that a warn and caution statement is not done on the phone or in one's dreams. It is done at the police station and I have not received a call to that effect."

Andrew said he had never been summoned nor had he ever received a call-out.

"And surely they know where to find me. And I will cooperate with them when the time comes if they want to interview me. So how do they allow a story to go like that, that we warned and caution him. I find that not right so on the basis of that I wanted to clarify matters because I have nothing to hide," he said.

Andrew said there were all these investigations going on about the Banda family and that was one of the reasons they are trying to establish if he got involved in things like that.

"And they have a right to do that but it's got to be factual. Is it true that in my account, there is K2 billion which was paid and on which day? Is it true also that I was warned and cautioned? When did they give warn and caution statements? They have not called me yet so at what point did they give a warn and caution statement? And me I am saying that I am ready to cooperate, if they want to call me and clarify matters, I am available but I think it's not right to the Zambia Daily Mail to say that when I was contacted, I referred all matters to accountant Mr Fred Chimfumpa. I don't know who this Charles (reporter) is, he has never spoken to me," he said.

Andrew said he was aware that investigations had been going on for the last three months with some of his family members being interviewed but he had not been called yet.

"So I find it absurd that they can write that," said Andrew.

When contacted over the story, Zambia Daily Mail managing editor Isaac Chipampe refereed all queries to his deputy Anthony Mukwita who he said dealt with editorial matters.

Mukwita said the paper tried to get in touch with Andrew but failed to get hold of his number.

Mukwita said out of respect, the paper then decided to get hold of Andrew's brother, James but he was not very helpful.

He said this was a clear sign that the paper had tried to get in touch with Andrew.

Labels: ANDREW BANDA, CORRUPTION, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:36 PM