Maravi

‘More trouble' angers Liato

‘More trouble' angers Liato
By Agness Changala
Sun 19 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT

I AM not in trouble with investigative wings, declares former labour minister Austin Liato. The joint team of investigators probing the plunder of national resources on Friday said Liato had been cautioned on Wednesday for diverting boreholes and hammer mills donated to Kaoma Central Constituency to his farm.

But Liato who instead chose to react to The Post's headline when sought for comment on the matter could neither deny nor confirm the information that he was cautioned over the diversion of boreholes and hammer mills.

Liato, who was however phoned several times on Thursday before the publication of the story but never got an answer, said it was wrong and unfair for The Post to carry a story suggesting that he was in more trouble when not.

"How can you write that I am in trouble when there is no trouble at all?" Liato asked. "Don't be giving people headlines before you can even find out the truth."

When told that he was phoned to give his side of the story, Liato told the reporter to get answers from the spokesperson of the joint team of investigators Charity Munganga-Chanda who gave out the information.

Liato later on said the boreholes were sunk in June last year, but declined to give more information, saying he needed to consult his lawyers and asked to be phoned after an hour.

But after an hour, Liato's phone went unanswered.

On Wednesday, Liato was cautioned by the joint team of investigators probing the plunder of national resources for diverting boreholes and hammer mills donated to Kaoma Constituency to his farm.

The combined team comprising the Zambia Police, DEC and ACC recovered two of the stolen hammer mills from Liato's Mwembeshi farm.

Chanda said on Friday that Liato was cautioned on Wednesday around 16 hours.

She said two of the hammer mills were donated by International Drug Company while the other two were donated by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to Kaoma Central Constituency where Liato was member of parliament at the time.

Liato is already appearing in court over the K2.1 billion cash that was found buried at his farm in Mwembeshi.

Labels: AUSTIN LIATO, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 6:32 PM