Maravi

Letters Link Rupiah to Nigerian oil deal

Letters Link Rupiah to Nigerian oil deal
By Ernest Chanda and Kabanda Chulu
Tue 04 Sep. 2012, 09:30 CAT

FORMER president Rupiah Banda initiated the fake Nigerian oil deal and operated it through a company, SARB, who had registered specifically for this purpose, MMD sources have revealed. And energy permanent secretary George Zulu says he is ready to die in his quest to have the people involved in the fake oil procurement from Nigeria arrested.

MMD sources disclosed that the transaction was initiated by Banda himself who had asked the late Nigerian president, Yar'Adua, to help Zambia with oil procurements and that a company called SARB was incorporated in Nigeria to handle the deal.

"The name SARB seems to be too close to former president Banda. And since he was personally involved in this transaction, he may have to be asked to explain a number of things. The MMD as a party was never involved in such deals. These are president Banda's deals," said the source.

Zulu revealed on Friday that officials in the MMD administration paid huge sums of money for six shipments of oil worth 90, 000 metric tonnes but the commodity was never supplied to the country.

"I'll still fight; I promise that I will get to the bottom of this matter. As long as I remain permanent secretary in the Ministry of Energy, on this one I am prepared to dig and get the truth. And if need be even where they have put their money we will have to get it back for the Zambian people," he said in an interview yesterday.

"The day that the man is going to be born is not known to himself, only God knows; so is the day he's going to die. But if I'm going to die by these criminals, it means it is the work of destiny; that's the way it was meant, no matter how I hide. I know criminals are criminals; that's what they are; but I leave my security to God. And I'm ready to die for the good of the Zambian people."

Asked which persons were involved in the scandal, Zulu declined to disclose.

And government sources have revealed that Zulu has since submitted documentary evidence to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) so that culprits were investigated and arrested.

"We don't know the names yet but so far the ACC has interviewed three people over the matter. And from the look of things, many more names will come up and the public will know these people very soon. For the sake of investigations going on, we cannot mention the names of people under investigation, but the investigations are real," said the sources.

"All the documentary evidence is there and it has been submitted to the ACC. So, very soon heads will roll because the PS has vowed to pursue the matter vigorously."

And when contacted for comment on the submission of documents to ACC, Zulu declined to say anything.

Responding to journalists after signing the contract for the supply and delivery of 216 million litres of petrol and 21 million litres of diesel on Friday in Lusaka with Trafigura, Puma Energy's parent company, Zulu disclosed that some officials in the past regime paid for oil which was never supplied.

"I was sent to Nigeria and what I found is shocking because there is a man… who is claiming US$5 million commission since he facilitated the deal but I can't say more and I urge security wings to look into this matter," said Zulu.

"Nothing has been delivered but Zambia paid for these commodities; I have figures and documents showing that our Ministry of Finance paid but this money never reached the Nigerian Oil Company."

Meanwhile, MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu expressed doubt about the credibility of the statement made by Zulu.

When asked to comment on the matter, Nyangu referred queries to former ministers Situmbeko Musokotwane and Kenneth Konga who were also MMD chairpersons for finance and energy respectively.

"The party (MMD) has nothing to do with that but I doubt it very much because the Auditor General could have picked it since procurement of oil involves a lot of money but get in touch with Dr Musokotwane and Mr Konga; they are in charge of committees dealing with those issues and they were also in government," said Nyangu.

Efforts to get comments from Dr Musokotwane and Konga proved futile because their phones went unanswered.

Labels: CORRUPTION, NIGERIA, OIL, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:01 PM