Maravi

Mangani expresses concern over ‘trivial' plunder cases

Mangani expresses concern over ‘trivial' plunder cases
By Kombe Chimpinde
Wed 21 Mar. 2012, 11:59 CAT

LAMECK Mangani has expressed concern over the nature of cases being availed to the public and taken to court by the combined team of state security wings which is probing former leaders on corruption related matters.

But home affairs minister Kennedy Sakeni in a separate interview said that officers needed more time to investigate the cases as most of them were white collar crimes which were sophisticated.

Mangani, who is former home affairs minister, expressed worry at the slow pace of investigations which had been dominated by cases of leaders being in possession of some bicycles , saying this was causing unnecessary anxiety. "These are clearly my views. I feel that they have been too slow in handling these issues," he said.

"Matters of suspected fraud or theft need swift action but it seems our agencies have had difficulties."

Mangani feared that only a little maybe yielded from the investigations.

"Zambians will not get much from what they expected from these investigations. In my view apart from the bicycles, I have not heard any serious issue that has been uncovered," he maintained.

"We know a lot of things happened. Are we sure it's just bicycles that were bought from suspected stolen proceed? A lot of things happened for example they were people in the previous leadership who would go to Toyota Zambia and buy seven Land Cruisers at once. Those people are walking freely. Is that harassment, is that? I am not privy to the investigations but if anything, these cases are too slow and this is why people are even free to comment on these matters."

But Sakeni said the investigations needed more time because they were white collar crimes.

He also said that the government was not interested in persecuting Rupiah Banda and his family as claimed by the former president.

"There is no persecution, Mr Banda, knows very well how he persecuted other people when he was in government. He was persecuting people himself. They are stories of people who were being innocently fired by him left right and center for political expedience and those that were being arrested and detained. A vivid example is that of Mahtani," he said.

"The government has no time to persecute people. Banda must not think Zambians are foolish. Did Banda have that kind of money to build those flats in a short time? Banda cannot today say that he acquired a loan from bank to build them that is abusing his authority. How can the whole of the President apply for a loan, knowing too well that they won't deny him the loan. That is clear abuse of authority. The mere fact that when he immediately got in office he went to be the bank to borrow that money is evidence. That is using your office for pecuniary interests," Sakeni said.

"He has not told Zambians where he got money to buy 150 vehicles prior to the elections. Where did he get the money to buy those trucks? Banda has failed to account for money in his own party. He was sending trucks and loads of food staffs in all provinces for campaigns, where did that money come from? Let him remind himself."

And Dr Fred Mutesa said there had not been a case that qualified as plunder yet unearthed by the combined team of investigative wings probing corruption related cases of leaders that served in MMD.

Dr Mutesa, who is Zambians for Empowerment and Democracy (ZED) leader said that his party was somewhat disappointed that this was not so even after so much hype by the PF that there were leaders in the previous government that plundered the nation's resources.

"It is a good thing that the PF government have taken some of the cases of people alleged to have involved themselves in corrupt practices to the courts of law because this is both the accused and Zambians to know exactly what really transpired," said Dr Mutesa.

Dr Mutesa however said that those cases unearthed so far did not correspond with the hype seen on the issue plunder of national resources.

"We are somewhat disappointed there was a lot of hype and still is, that a lot of former MMD leaders plundered this nation but looking at the cases that have gone to court really, we are still waiting for cases that qualify as plunder," he said.

Dr Mutesa however said taking the cases to court was a good opportunity for those accused to defend themselves and the prosecuting team to state its case.

He said Zambians were keen on knowing how former leaders managed the affairs of the country.

Labels: CORRUPTION, KENNEDY SAKENI, LAMECK MANGANI

posted by MrK @ 5:29 PM