ACC, DEC and OP probe Kabonde
By Chibaula Silwamba
Thu 21 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT
A COMBINED team of Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Zambia Police and Intelligence officers has recorded a warn and caution statement from Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde in connection with unaccounted for K1 billion overpaid to a South African traffic equipment and car dealer.
And former inspector general of police Ephraim Mateyo broke down during interrogation at the ACC offices in Lusaka when he appeared before a combined team of investigators probing the irregular purchase of escort vehicles and traffic equipment, which have not been delivered, from South Africa's Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement.
Meanwhile, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) owner Phineas Manthata yesterday said the Zambia Police Service owed him over 84 million rands and allegations that his firm was overpaid were “nonsense”.
Well-placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed over the weekend that a combined team of officers from the DEC, ACC, Zambia Security Intelligence Service (ZSIS) and Zambia Police set up to investigate the irregularities in the purchase of police escort vehicles, motorbikes, bullet proof presidential cars and traffic equipment wrote to President Rupiah Banda asking for permission to interrogate and take a warn and caution statement from Kabonde.
The sources said President Banda granted the permission to the investigators to go ahead and investigate Kabonde.
The sources said Kabonde was summoned and appeared before the investigators at ACC head office in Lusaka on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 10:00 hours and the interrogation took over one hour.
“The officers interrogated Mr Kabonde concerning his role in the payment for the vehicles, motorbikes, presidential armoured BMW X5 vehicles. According to the records, Mr Kabonde as commissioner of police in 2006 signed for the payment of money to Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement (Pty) Limited of South Africa. They recorded a warn and caution statement from Mr Kabonde,” the source revealed. “During the interrogation, the officers asked Mr Kabonde why he signed the payment without a tender and he told them that he was working under instructions from Mr Mateyo.
The officers asked him if the instructions given to him were lawful or not. Mr Kabonde responded that the instructions were lawful because Mr Mateyo was his boss. Mr Kabonde said, 'I was just instructed to process the payment.' The officers asked him why he as deputy to Mr Mateyo could not advise his boss and whether he could take any instructions even if they were unlawful. He said he didn't see anything wrong because instructions came from above his office. They also asked him whether he knew where the money he was signing for was going and he said he knew that they the police were paying for equipment that was supposed to be purchased but said he was ignorant about the equipment they were purchasing. Among the payments he signed for was K1 billion and other amounts.”
The sources said the fact that Kabonde was being investigated he was supposed to take leave or be put on forced leave to pave way for investigations to avoid the possibility of him interfering with the process. However, that has not happened.
When contacted, Kabonde could neither deny nor confirm that he was interrogated and a warn and caution statement was recorded from him.
“I cannot confirm on that. You talk to the same people you are talking to; they should be in position to tell you,” Kabonde said.
When reminded about the day, date, time and the duration of his interrogation, Kabonde sounded surprised and said: “You can confirm with Mr Kayukwa.”
ACC director general Godfrey Kayukwa and spokesperson Timothy Moono were not picking up their phones by press time.
And sources said Mateyo appeared before the investigators at ACC offices on Thursday January 14, 2010, but he broke down during interrogations.
“Mr Mateyo started crying. He cried. He told the officers that he was crying because his mother died last year and things have not been good since his mother died,” the source said. “Mr Mateyo told the officers that he was supposed to go in diplomatic service as ambassador to Germany but instead the government was trying to find faults in him.”
The sources said the investigators told Mateyo to engage a lawyer to represent him and contact them when he was ready.
“His crying attracted attention of people at ACC offices. Even the time he was leaving the interrogation room he was still crying. People could see his tears and were saying, 'Ni ba Mateyo aba. Babachita chani ba Mateyo This is Mr Mateyo. What have they done to Mr Mateyo? People heard and saw him shedding tears. It was dramatic. Some people felt sorry for him because they had never seen him in that situation, crying,” the source said.
The sources narrated that Mateyo and some police commanding officers in 2006 travelled to South Africa and while there they admired some traffic equipment at Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement.
The sources said when Mateyo and his team returned, the police command prepared a payment of K1 billion without the approval of Zambia National Tender Board (ZNTB), which is now Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), or government.
The sources said Kabonde signed for the payment which was given to Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement.
“The reason for the payment was not known. Thereafter, Mr Mateyo went to South Africa and ordered 20 escort vehicles, 20 motorbikes, three armoured/bullet proof BMW X5 vehicles for the President. The police paid for everything. However, Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement only delivered 10 escort vehicles, 10 motorbikes and one armoured BMW X5. I am sure you see the BMW X5 the President uses but two were not delivered, 10 escort vehicles were not delivered and 10 motorbikes were not delivered,” the source said. “When the police demanded that Instrumentation for Traffic Law Enforcement delivers the
Labels: ACC, DEC, EPHRAIM MATEYO, FRANCIS KABONDE
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Small arms availability worries Mateyo
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday September 23, 2008 [04:00]
THE widespread availability of small arms and light weapons has contributed to the development of a culture of violence that has destroyed the social fabric of many African countries, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo (above) has said.
During a capacity building workshop on small arms and light weapons yesterday, Mateyo said available statistics indicated that out of the estimated 500 million small arms and light weapons in circulation worldwide, 100 million were found in Africa.
He said those weapons were easy to use, conceal and maintain and had been the weapons of choice in many of the conflicts existing in Africa.
Mateyo said small arms and light weapons had also undermined efforts meant at recording economic development, governance and democratisation.
He said although by themselves, those weapons did not cause conflicts, their widespread availability increased the likelihood of conflict.
And home affairs minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha thanked the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for sponsoring the workshop, which was aimed at building the capacity of security organisations in their efforts to combat the proliferation of illegal arms in the southern African region.
"Furthermore, Zambia greatly appreciates the initiative taken by the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) in conjunction with the Internal Sub Regional Bureau for taking this crucial step of encouraging this country to lay the institutional foundation which, is necessary in the fight against the scourge of illicit arms," he said.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said although the country was still gripped with a deep sense of loss following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa, the government affirmed its total commitment to combating crimes related to illicit arms.
Labels: ARMS, EPHRAIM MATEYO
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TIZ should be ready to testify against the police, says Mateyo
By Maluba Jere
Sunday July 06, 2008 [04:01]
INSPECTOR General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has said it is speculative for Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) to state that the police service is the most corrupt public institution. Commenting on the Bribe Payers Index (BPI) report for 2007 by TIZ, Mateyo said TIZ should be ready to testify in court on the offences labelled against the police.
“I am yet to look at the same report but what is important is that the people have agreed that they paid bribes. But the offence was committed by two people so both the one who paid the bribe and the one who received should be arrested,” said Mateyo.
On Friday TIZ stated that the Zambia Police Service was by far the major public institution that solicited for bribes most frequently and to which most people paid bribes.
During the launch, TIZ board member Dr Kavwanga Yambayamba said that was not surprising, saying it was public knowledge that police officers were among the most lowly paid public officials and yet subjected to very high-risk situations.
“Instances of public officials soliciting for bribes continue to be a source of grave concern, with over half (50 per cent) of the respondents being asked for unofficial payments in both urban and rural areas,” he said.
“The overall incidence of bribery was 11 per cent. However, the prevalence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas.”
Dr Yambayamba implored the government to undertake a comprehensive anti-corruption approach that did not create scapegoats.
He said the current government’s performance in fighting corruption was poorly rated although some improvements in handling complaints were noted by some respondents.
“We strongly request the government and other institutions to walk the talk.
The views of most respondents (56 per cent) were that the current government was not committed to fighting corruption compared to 43.7 per cent who felt that the government was committed,” Dr Yambayamba said. “This was attributed to the fact that the punitive measures against corruption were not adequately applied.”
Dr Yambayamba added that although there were some improvements in the 2007 BPI as compared to the 2005 one, TIZ recommended that the establishment of audit committees in all public offices should be expedited.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EPHRAIM MATEYO, POLICE, TIZ
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Mateyo calls for responsive strategy on traffic accidents
By Lemmy Likando in Siavonga and Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka
Wednesday May 07, 2008 [04:00]
THE country needs to develop and implement a safety strategy that is responsive to the causes of road traffic accidents, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has said. And Passenger Rights and Advocacy Network executive director Prince Kaping'a has called on Mateyo to introduce highway patrols in the country to help reduce road traffic accidents.
Closing a three-day workshop on enforcement of the road traffic Act No. 11 of 2002 in Siavonga, Mateyo observed that it was imperative to develop a road safety strategy because the country currently experienced a lot of accidents.
Mateyo, who was represented by director police administration Standwell Lungu, further observed that it was through development of a work plan and legal enforcement of traffic law that unimaginable road carnage could be avoided.
"It shall remain government policy to deal sternly with all those that violate the law regarding road use. I wish to implore all police officers and members of RTSA Road Traffic and Safety Agency to treat the enforcement of these laws as noble duty," he said.
Mateyo reminded the police and RTSA workers that all those that engaged in corruption would face the wrath of the law and be dealt with severely.
However, he bemoaned the lack of a formal and comprehensive offences list that includes fines at both police and RTSA level, saying deliberate efforts were needed to develop standards for traffic offences.
"In an effort to improve the administration of enforcement vis-a-vis- the management of fees paid for various offences, a deliberate effort is needed to develop common procedures and standards for traffic offences and attendant penalty fee listed in the statute books," he said.
Mateyo added that a working task force had already been established for the consolidation of road signs and traffic offences.
Mateyo also announced that from next year a common enforcement work plan would be developed by both police and RTSA each year to focus on resources required for effective road traffic law enforcement.
And RTSA deputy director of transport Robert Mtonga said in an interview that the objective of the workshop was to orient participants to the road traffic Act No. 11 of 2002.
Mtonga said the workshop was also designed to identify offences that exist and categorize them into impoundable and non-impoundable offences to come up with a framework of administering the traffic offences.
"We want to come up with a formal way of administering road traffic offences which is going to be standard and be followed by whoever is implementing it. But in order to do this we will need a budget," he said.
However, Mtonga assured that implementation of the work plan that includes the budget would be almost immediate saying currently RTSA had managed to source about K1.4 billion for enforcing activities in all provinces.
And Kaping'a said motorists would be forced to be cautious on the road once patrols on the highways were introduced, as they would not be in a position to know when the police would pounce on them.
Kaping'a said expensive as it might be, the culprits must be made to bear the costs by handing them heavy fines.
"You may be interested to learn that traffic police checkpoints are very common in Central and Copperbelt provinces and yet the anarchy on the roads continues. Traffic check points especially in the said provinces have become a circus," he said.
Kaping'a said when minibus drivers with 'ramshackle minibuses' got a signal from their colleagues that there was a police checkpoint ahead, they would park their buses by the roadside until the roadblock was dismounted.
Kaping'a said if by any chance the drivers were asked to pull over by the police, negotiations would commence after which they would proceed as if nothing happened.
Road traffic accidents have in the past been rife, leading to loss of life.
University Teaching Hospital (UTH) spokesperson Kennedy Makukula on Monday said the institution received over 111 cases of road traffic accidents last week alone.
Labels: EPHRAIM MATEYO, ROADS, TRANSPORT
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Criminals mustn't be allowed to rule, says Mateyo
By Mutale Kapekele and Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Tuesday April 22, 2008 [04:00]
CRIMINALS must not be allowed to rule as the increasing worldwide power and influence of organised crime is a threat to democracy, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has said. Opening the Southern Africa Police Chief Cooperation (SAPCCO) regional workshop on organised crime at Chrismar Hotel yesterday, Mateyo said police had a duty to pursue hot criminals in any country until they were brought to book.
"If you allow criminals to rule then the police will not be there. They have to be dealt with all in a severe manner they want," he said.
Mateyo said the activities of organised crime groups undermined societal values leading to increased crime rates and raised social expenditures.
"Increased worldwide criminal activities and the growing power and the influence of organised crime groups are a significant threat to democratic institutions and free market systems in many countries and regions," he said.
Mateyo noted that crime groups sought to establish and enlarge the local markets for drugs and other illicit contraband, creating corruption and street crime.
"The social consequences of these can be severe, thus they include drug addiction, violence, property and financial fraud crimes, decreased respect for legitimate authorities and increased medical and social welfare costs," he said.
Mateyo said the new global developments in technology and the growth of communications revolution had contributed to the territorial scope for the perpetration of criminal activities.
"The inter-linkages among these crimes create increased serious challenges to our social economic and political stability and the rule of law. This demands a global response which gives priority to full international cooperation in strengthening the existing legal framework on all fronts and at all levels," he said.
Mateyo said increased power and influence of criminal organisations over political and economic structures could cause countries to become 'safe havens' where criminals operated with impunity.
"Criminal groups rely on safe havens as staging or transit areas for moving illicit contrabands such as drugs, arms and illegal immigrants and for money laundering, hiding or investing their illicit proceeds.
They also use these countries, financial and commercial sectors to arrange illicit financing of criminal activities and to broker prohibited transactions, including those regulated and proscribed materials and technologies of interest to states of concern," he said.
He said criminals would continue to threaten democratic and economic interests by conducting their activities from countries where law enforcement was very weak.
"As Inspector General, I have always said that you do not expect a police officer in Zambia to be lenient to a criminal who has a loaded firearm.
You do not advance towards such a criminal and respond with handcuffs. We will respond with weapons even better than what the criminal has I have no mercy," Mateyo said.
And head of organised crime and money laundering at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Charles Goredema said the institute had embarked on a research funded by the German government and Netherlands to deepen understanding of how organised crimes were organised.
"The project is about bringing together law enforcement agencies to try and get a better understanding of what goes on in organised crime and money laundering," he said.
Goredema said the three-year project would gobble 3,300 Euros this year and would be reviewed periodically.
Labels: EPHRAIM MATEYO, SAPCCO
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Mateyo deserves support
By Editor
Wednesday February 06, 2008 [03:00]
Police inspector general Ephraim Mateyo’s revelation that he believes the Zambia Police Service is leading the race in terms of being corrupt is a surprising one. It is surprising because he is probably the first police chief of our country to admit corruption in the police and rank it in this manner. But this is Mateyo. And this is probably what makes him one of the most successful police chiefs of our country.
It is said that the attitude, the seriousness of purpose of an individual is measured, basically, by the attitude he takes towards his own problems, shortcomings. And in the same way, Mateyo’s seriousness of purpose as our country’s chief cop should be measured by the attitude he takes towards the problems, deficiencies and shortcomings of our police service.
We say this because when problems or weaknesses are admitted and are subjected to self-criticism, they stand a better chance of being corrected. In this way we can get rid of a bad style and keep the good. Self-criticism is another hallmark that distinguishes Mateyo from others. As we say, dust will accumulate if a room is not cleaned regularly, our faces will get dirty if they are not washed regularly. Our police officers’ minds may also collect dust, and also need sweeping and washing.
The proverb says “Running water is never stale and a door hinge is never worm-eaten”, meaning that constant motion prevents the inroads of germs and other organisms. To check up regularly on our work and in the process develop an honest style of work, to fear neither criticism nor self-criticism and to apply such good popular maxims as “Say all you know and say it without reserve”, “Blame not the speaker but be warned by his words” and “Correct mistakes if you have committed them and guard against them if you have not” – this is the only effective way to prevent all kinds of dust and germs from contaminating the minds of our police officers and the body of our police service.
Taught by mistakes and setbacks, we should become wiser and handle the affairs of our police service better. It is hard for any person to avoid mistakes, but we should make as few as possible. Once a mistake is made, we should correct it, and the more quickly and thoroughly, the better.
We should all really appreciate the efforts Mateyo is making to better our police service. It may not be much but it is something that shouldn’t be ignored. It is said that what a single ant brings to the anthill is very little; but what a great hill is built when each one does their proper share of the work.
There is no doubt police corruption is a complex phenomenon, which does not really submit to simple analysis. It is a problem that has and will continue to affect us all, whether we are ordinary citizens or law enforcement officers. Since its beginnings, many aspects of policing have changed; however, one aspect that has remained relatively unchanged is the existence of corruption.
In simple terms, corruption in policing is usually viewed as the misuse of authority by a police officer acting officially to fulfil personal needs or wants.
It can be said that power inevitably tends to corrupt, and it is yet to be recognised that, while there is no reason to suppose that police officers as individuals are any less fallible than other citizens, people are often outraged when police officers are exposed violating the law. The reason is simple. Their deviance elicits a special feeling of betrayal.
Many reports that have been produced by various organisations dealing with human rights and corruption support Mateyo’s view that corruption is endemic in the police service. The danger of corruption for police is that it may invert the formal goals of the police service and may lead to the use of police power to encourage and create crime rather than to deter it.
Cops often don’t want to turn in other cops; cops don’t want to be a rat. And even when honest cops are willing to blow the whistle, there may not be anyone willing to listen.
Is there a solution to the police corruption problem? Probably not because since its beginnings, many aspects of policing have changed, but one thing that has not is the existence of corruption. The police service, in an attempt to eliminate corruption have tried everything from increasing salaries, requiring more training and education, and developing policies which are intended to focus directly on factors leading to corruption. What have all these changes done to eliminate or even decrease the corruption problem? Little, if not nothing. Despite the police service’s attempts to control corruption, it still occurs. Regardless of this fact, police corruption cannot still be overlooked.
Controlling corruption is the only way we can really limit corruption, because corruption is a by-product of the individual police officer, societal views, and, police environmental factors. Therefore, control must not only come from the police service but must also require the assistance and support of all the citizens.
Controlling corruption within the police requires a strong leadership organisation, because corruption can take place anywhere from the patrol officer to the chief. The top administrator must make it clear from the start that he and other members of his command are against any form of corrupt activity, and that it will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form. If a police administrator does not act strongly with disciplinary action against any corrupt activity, the message conveyed to other officers within the police service will not be that of intimated nature. In addition it may even increase corruption, because officers feel no action will be taken against them.
Another way the police service can control its corruption problem starts originally at Lilayi Police Training College. Ethical decision and behaviour should be promoted, because failing to make officers aware of the consequences of corruption does nothing but encourage it.
Although the police service should be the main source of controlling the corruption problem of its officers, it also requires some support and assistance from the community.
It is important that the public be educated on the negative effects of corruption on their police service. They should be taught that even ‘gratitudes’ – the most basic and common form of police corruption - is only a catalyst for more and future corruption.
If we do not act to try and control police corruption, the costs can be enormous, because it affects not only the individual, the law enforcement community as a whole, but society as well. Police corruption can be controlled; it just takes a little extra effort. In the long run that effort will be well worth it to both the police service and the community or the nation at large.
For these reasons, it is necessary and important that all the necessary support is given to Mateyo to deal with this problem in the same way he has successfully dealt with other crimes in our neighbourhoods. Mateyo is a good cop who deserves support.
Labels: EPHRAIM MATEYO
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Police are the most corrupt, says Mateyo
By Namakau Nalumango
Wednesday February 06, 2008 [03:00]
Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo has said he believed the Zambia Police Service was leading the race in terms of being corrupt. Speaking during the official opening of a refresher course in traffic management at Lilayi training college in Lusaka on Monday, Mateyo said although he was aware that corruption was not only in the police service but other ministries and public institutions as well, he believed the police were topping the list in terms of being corrupt.
“I believe we are leading in that race that will send us into jail,” Mateyo said.
He said traffic officers were in the forefront of denting the face of Zambia police.
“Why should you complain when I remove you from traffic section? Is it because of nicekeleko?” Mateyo asked.
He said some of the things that traffic officers got involved in were embarrassing.
“You stop a vehicle and half your body is in the car. And when you remove your person from the car, you fail to wave using your right hand because the other hand is holding the bribe and the poor constable just looks on at the inspector. It’s embarrassing. Let us stop it,” Mateyo urged.
He cautioned members of the public to stop encouraging traffic officers in corrupt activities by bribing them because it took two to committee such a crime.
And Anti-Corruption Commission director general Nixon Banda said the refresher course was the first of its kind aimed at sensitising police traffic officers about the dangers of corruption after his office received a lot of complaints.
Banda said the organisation had to set aside some funds to carry out the programme. He said such refresher courses were on-going in the sense that they were identifying institutions where they could carry out such exercises.
And college commandant Eugene Sibote recommended that traffic officers who misconduct themselves on the road should be reverted to other functions.
He said he realised that traffic officers were exposed to certain vices on the road and their actions had a great bearing on society as a whole.
“These officers are like front desk officers of the police because they are the people the public gets to meet everyday,” said Sibote.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EPHRAIM MATEYO
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Police seize 'stolen' copper cathodes from Chinese firm
By Mwala Kalaluka
Friday November 02, 2007 [03:00]
POLICE have seized from a Chinese mining firm in Ndola a substantial quantity of copper cathodes and cables suspected to have been stolen. Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo said yesterday that the contraband was discovered after a tip-off from members of the public.
“The quantity is not yet clear but what I know is that it is quite substantial,” Mateyo said. He said experts would be called in to ascertain the value of the copper cathodes and cables.
“I want to warn these people that are stealing copper to keep away from these vices because the long arm of the law will not rest; it will reach them,” he said. “My warning is not only to the Chinese; that would be wrong, but to all people that are dealing in copper substances that the police will not rest.”
Asked further about the people connected to the theft, Mateyo responded, “Who they are and where they come from I don’t know; all I know is that they are Chinese.”
Mateyo commended the Anti-Copper Theft Squad “for a job well done”.
And Mateyo said Solwezi police arrested two foreign nationals who were found with two trucks loaded with stolen copper.
He said the copper was believed to have been stolen from Kansanshi Copper Mine.
Labels: CHINESE, COPPER, CORRUPTION, EPHRAIM MATEYO
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Zim top cop shot dead at Pamodzi
By Thomas Nsama
Sunday August 05, 2007 [04:00]
Zimbabwe’s Inspector General of Police Augustine Chihuri’s Aide de Camp (ADC) was on Thursday night shot dead by a suspected prostitute in his room at The Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
Police sources revealed that the ADC, assistant superintendent Christopher Ngapala, was found dead in his room on Friday afternoon around 15:00 hours. Ngapala and his boss were part of the delegates who attended the Council of Ministers of Southern Africa Region Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) annual general meeting at Mulungushi International Conference Centre during the week.
However, Inspector General of Police Ephraim Mateyo ruled out Ngapala’s shooting saying he was just found dead in his room. He said preliminary investigations revealed no foul play and his office would issue a comprehensive statement upon the conclusion of all investigations.
But police sources revealed that Ngapala on Thursday night had picked up a suspected sex worker and took her to his room. It is suspected that the sex worker could have pulled the trigger of Ngapala’s gun after some misunderstanding.
Ngapala is said to have been found dead with his trousers half way down. His body was taken to the University Teaching Hospital for post-mortem before it was taken to Ambassador St Ann.
The source also said another ADC of an Inspector General from one of the SADC countries had his boss’ laptop stolen from his room in suspicious circumstances.
Labels: EPHRAIM MATEYO, POLICE, SARPCCO, ZIMBABWE
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