Shansonga's arrest a boost in corruption fight - Malila
By Staff Reporter
Sun 01 July 2012, 13:24 CAT
ATTORNEY General Mumba Malila says Attan Shansonga has had a heavy load on his head after years of running away from the law. Shansonga, the former Zambia's Ambassador to the United States, was arrested by Danish authorities a week ago in Denmark after being a fugitive for eight years.
ACC director general Rosewin Wandi has indicated that the extradition of Shansonga was imminent since details of his cases in Zambia were submitted to the Danish authorities.
"The fact that he was arrested in Denmark is very good for Zambia. It confirms one thing, and that is that you cannot run away from the law, running away is just temporary," Malila said in an interview yesterday.
He said government faced a lot of difficulties to get Shansonga to answer charges in the courts of law.
"…He now faces the reality of getting home where he will have to answer charges laid against him. It is a boost in the fight against corruption. He has had this heavy load on his head. I am sure he was not free to come to Lusaka because of those corruption charges," said Malila.
"If he's innocent, he will be released, if found with a case, the law will take its course. "
In the corruption cases, Shansonga was charged together with former president Frederick Chiluba and former director of intelligence, Xavier Chungu.
Late president Levy Mwanawasa disclosed in his special address to Parliament on July 11, 2002 that apart from receiving amounts exceeding US $1.1 million from the Zamtrop account which was run by the Zambia Security Intelligence Services, Shansonga was also the brain behind MISSL and MISSL Associates, two companies incorporated in England and Wales and in the British Virgin Islands which were created by the Chiluba regime as consultants on the management of the former ZCCM assets.
Labels: CORRUPTION, MUMBA MALILA, ROSEWIN WANDI
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ACC calls for integrity in water sector
By Gift Chanda
Wed 04 Apr. 2012, 12:57 CAT
THE Anti-Corruption Commission has called on players in the water sector to improve governance systems to fight corruption. Speaking at the just ended Water Sector Financial Forum in Kabwe held under the theme "Operational and Financial Efficiency; a key to performance improvement", ACC director general Rosewin Wandi said there is need to promote ethical codes of conduct in all water utilities to counter corruption.
Wandi observed that poorly designed financial regulations or lack of adherence to financial regulations could expose the financial systems of water utility companies to a crisis and collapse.
This is contained in statement issued by National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASC) public relations officer, Rose Tembo.
"Corruption negatively affects operational and financial efficiency because of its negative effects," Wandi said.
"Apart from increasing the cost of doing business, corruption enriches a few individuals while the majority of the citizens remain wallowing in abject poverty."
Wandi cited water quality compliance, revenue collection, meter reading, connection, disconnection and reconnection of water supply, inspections and procurement of goods and services by water utility companies as areas of operation in the water sector prone to corruption.
She called on the water sector to inculcate principles of integrity and accountability which promote operational and financial efficiency leading to performance improvements.
Wandi further implored the water sector to enhance efforts in empowering communities with knowledge on their water rights and sanitation responsibilities to enable citizens report any suspected or acts of corruption or abuse of public office to the ACC.
The Water Sector Financial Forum organised by NWASCO drew 40 participants from all the 11 water utility companies.
With recommendations from the Financial Forum, a sector guideline is expected to be formulated by NWASCO which would see the formation of integrity committees in all water utility companies to counter corrupt practices.
Labels: ACC, ROSEWIN WANDI, WATER
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ACC to sign MoU with Auditor General's office
By Moses Kuwema
Mon 13 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
ANTI-CORRUPTION Commission director general Rosewin Wandi says the commission will soon be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the office of the Auditor General which will enable her institution to be taking prompt action on cases cited in her reports.
Speaking when she appeared before the parliamentary committee on legal affairs, governance, human rights and gender matters last week, which was looking at public sector corruption; the procurement process of goods and services, Wandi said negotiations between the two institutions had been going on since December.
"As the ACC, we have started being proactive. Since December we have been negotiating with the Auditor General so that as they carryout their audits and discover corrupt cases, they can be reporting to us and we hope to enter into a memorandum with them," Wandi said.
Wandi, however, said in the Auditor General's report there were varying highlights which are usually brought and some of which were to do with theft and could best be handled by the police.
"We need to be sitting law enforcement agencies so that when the Auditor General's report comes out, we decide who takes what. For the previous reports, we have set up a team of officers who will look at the cases which can be taken up by the ACC," she said.
And Wandi said corruption and any other related malpractices in the procurement system in the country was under-productive and impacts negatively on national development and that it generally erodes the society's moral fibre.
She said corruption in the procurement and award of contracts lowered the quality of public infrastructure, lowers expenditures on education and health.
"Public sector corruption in award of contracts in the road sector has led to poor workmanship on our road network. Most of the roads which are constructed either get washed away or eroded in the next rainy season or do not last for a long time," Wandi said.
Wandi said as a result of corruption, some companies awarded road contracts lacked trained manpower, machinery and experience.
She said this was costly for the government because it had to spend more on road construction instead of investing in other sectors of the economy.
Wandi said a clear demonstration of the effect of corruption in the procurement and award of contracts were the recent award of road contracts by the Road Development Agency for the rehabilitation and upgrading of urban roads in the run-up to last September's general elections.
Wandi said a company called Jiangsu Wujin Corporation was awarded a contract to upgrade urban roads in Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi at a cost of over K117 billion and that the Chinese company submitted a fake security bond and obtained a K5 billion advance payment on the project.
Wandi said due diligence could have been taken to avoid all this but that the problem was that corruption results in individuals disregarding the procurement law, tendering rules and regulations.
She further said there was need to encourage people to report cases of corruption through sensitisation on the public interest disclosure (protection of whistle-blowers Act) number 4 of 2010.
Wandi said there was need to increase funding to the ACC and expand the organisational structure to decentralise the operations to the district level.
Labels: ACC, AUDITOR GENERAL, DECENTRALIZATION, ROSEWIN WANDI
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Corruption fight has taken new dimension - ACC
By Bright Mukwasa and Kabanda Chulu
Sat 07 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT
ACC director general Rosewin Wandi says the fight against corruption has taken a new dimension under the PF government. Wandi said it was now apparent that the fight against corruption was gaining momentum under President Michael Sata.
"Political will is the sine qua non (a condition) of an efficient and effective fight against corruption that is non selective, professionally executed and where there is true equality before the law. As Anti Corruption Commission we are gratified and encouraged by the prevailing demonstrable political will in our country to fight corruption," Wandi told journalists during a press briefing yesterday.
"We have already witnessed and are part of the joint investigation teams set up to probe plunder of public resources as well as abuses of authority of offices cases. There is no doubt that the fight against corruption is gaining momentum."
Wandi said the reinstatement of the abuse of authority of office clause would definitely boost the fight against corruption.
She said corruption was a complex and cross cutting vice that required a multi-disciplined approach to combat and called on all stakeholders to join the fight.
"The Anti-Corruption Act no.38 of 2010 is under review which seeks to re-instate the abuse of authority of office clause, among other provisions, a move being supported by the Commission. Law is dynamic. There is need to keep reviewing anti-corruption laws to ensure they are responsive to changes," she said.
"At this point Zambia needs the provision that criminalises the abuse of authority of office and possession of ill-gotten property. This is necessary for the preservation of public resources that will eventually trickle down to our citizens through developmental projects and poverty reduction measures for the benefit of all Zambians."
She said there was also need to develop and review social mechanisms in the anti-corruption fight and to counter cultural and traditional aspects that promote corruption.
Wandi said there was need to encourage all citizens to commit to the fight against corruption as the atmosphere was right for the Commission and other players to fight it with results.
Wandi said the ACC was rejuvenated with its vision of being the lead institution of a broad sector alliance for combating corruption in the country.
"Our government is resolved to deal with corruption decisively. We as ACC have taken advantage of that political will. I wish to assure Zambians that I, together with my team at ACC will relentlessly carry out our mandate in an impartial and professional manner at all times," said Wandi.
"However, I wish to warn those holding public positions and own or have interest in companies or businesses not to fall prey to conflict of interests and to abuse of authority of office by influencing the award of tenders or other business ventures to those companies where they have interest. If they fail to adhere to this warning, the due process of the law will take its course. There will be no sacred cows."
Wandi also said the Commission would take measures to improve the pace of investigations, work and boost the capacity of its investigators.
She said the Commission had initiated contact with the office of the Auditor General for collaboration in ensuring that corruption cases were dealt with at an early stage.
Wandi said the Commission would continue to spearhead the implementation of the national anti-corruption policy in order to maximise corruption prevention initiatives.
Labels: ACC, MICHAEL SATA, ROSEWIN WANDI
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Sata directs new Attorney-General to establish the legality of online papers and disolves ZNBS board
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, November 12, 2011, 11:32 am
President Sata has directed newly appointed Attorney-General Mumba Malila to investigate the legality of the many small newspapers and on-line publications operating in Zambia that are bent at spreading falsehoods about him and the Government.
Speaking when he swore in Mr Malila and Ms Rosewin Wandi as Attorney-General and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director general at State House, respectively President Sata said there was too much corruption at ZNBS which needed to be addressed.
“Two of you have been once victims of witch- hunt, you have come back because you deserve to be what you are. There is too much corruption at ZNBS. ZNBS is not doing business and I can not see how the board can appoint a woman and pay her K56 million, now K56 million per month by an organisation which is not making money! “ This is the same organisation where somebody irregularly pumped U$98 million. I have with immediate effect dissolved the board of ZNBS and I have appointed a commission which will be headed by Mr Mwila Lumbwe,” President Sata said.
He said the commission would also have representation from the ACC and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and other members. On the mushroomed internet and newspaperpublications, Mr Sata tasked Mr Malila to authenticate the legality of such publications in line with the law which required that they are registered. “Last year when we were preparing for elections, these so called unregistered internet (publications) and newspapers said Mr Sata had collapsed, Mr Sata is very sick, Mr Sata has died and yesterday the whole Eastern Province (was made to believe) that Mr Sata was dead.
There is too much corruption at ZNBS. ZNBS is not doing business and I can not see how the board can appoint a woman and pay her K56 million, now K56 million per month by an organisation which is not making money! “
“So, I am not asking for a witch- hunt, but you as Attorney-General, let us enforce the laws of this country because all these internets are all orchestrated by the UPND,” Mr Sata said. The President said that last year theon-line publication, Watchdog, which he said was UPND peddled lies that he was dead, he was too sick, when in fact not.
“It is all UPND and I am not going to start a witch-hunt and as they are saying now, yesterday I was dead, today I am standing here, maybe I have so many lives because even before elections I was dead, in 2009 our brothers got some fake doctor who told them Mr Sata would die before 2009 and came into a pact, come 2009, I did not die, come 2010, I did not die.
“They pull out of the pact and now they are still peddling lies, what type of politicians are these that want to survive on other people’s blood? He urged Mr Malila to re-enforce the law and assist the police and all investigative agencies in that regard.
President Sata also noted that his administration would not rush into taking people to court without gathering enough evidence to warrant convictions. “Only when we are ready shall we take people for prosecution, we don’t want to rush. You remember Mr Malila and Ms Wandi, the so-called Task Force, people were going to court for seven years, and the so-called prosecutors were getting K100 million per month for three convictions.
“Only when we are ready shall we take people for prosecution, we don’t want to rush. You remember Mr Malila and Ms Wandi, the so-called Task Force, people were going to court for seven years, and the so-called prosecutors were getting K100 million per month for three convictions.
“Three convictions for seven years, I think these are things we need to improve, let us only go to court when we are ready, to say we have a case to go and present to the courts, let us not use courts or use the police for politics,” Mr Sata said.
He noted that there was so much injustice in Zambia and wondered how a person sent on forced leave for more than three years could continue drawing a salary.
“Who is cheating who? If you send a person on leave, and then you continue paying them a Permanent Secretary’s salary, they are still getting all the benefits? In my opinion this is corruption,” Mr Sata noted.
He congratulated Mr Malila for bouncing back as Attorney-General and Ms Wandi on her new appointment as ACC boss. Mr Sata said he had trust that the two appointees would discharge their duties diligently and urged them to show Zambians that they were better than those that were there. The President also took a swipe at Secretary to Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and his team for keeping him waiting at the office.
“I don’t believe in the Secretary to Cabinet because he is always misleading me. I was here waiting for the Secretary to the Cabinet, he is taking his time with his staff and I had to go back to my office. This is the Government you are running,” Mr Sata said.
And Mr Malila welcomed his appointment and stressed that he understood the challenges that lay ahead in the job but that he was equal to the task. “We shall review areas of bad administration, let me also state here that onlinepublications and newspapers are supposed to be registered and so we shall countercheck the many on the market to see if they followed the law,” Mr Malila said.
“We shall review areas of bad administration, let me also state here that online publications and newspapers are supposed to be registered and so we shall countercheck the many on the market to see if they followed the law,” Mr Malila said.
Ms Wandi said she felt honoured and humbled with the confidence President Sata had placed in her and as such she would not let the nation down. Earlier, the President also hailed the cordial ties that Zambia had continued enjoying with Sweden and hoped the two countries would solidify such ties. He said this when he received letters of credence from the new Swedish ambassador to Zambia Lena Nordstrom.
Ms Nordstrom reiterated her country’s continued support to Zambia’s various sectors of the economy and the fight against HIV/AIDS programmes. She congratulated President Sata on his election as head of state and commended the peaceful transition of power process.
[Times of Zambia]
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, INTERNET, MICHAEL SATA, MUMBA MALILA, ROSEWIN WANDI, THE POST, ZNBS
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Sata accuses UPND of lies against him
By Bright Mukwasa
Sat 12 Nov. 2011, 12:10 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says he is surprised that the opposition UPND always wants to survive on his blood. And President Sata has dissolved the Zambia National Building Society board with immediate effect and appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged impropriety in the institution.
President Sata made the remarks yesterday at State House when he swore in prominent Lusaka lawyer Mumba Malila as Attorney General and Rosewin Wandi as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
He directed Malila to scrutinise the mushrooming of various publications which he accused of peddling lies against him and his health.
"Last year when we were coming for these elections up to this year, these unregistered newspapers, unregistered Internet said Mr Sata has collapsed, Mr Sata is very sick, Mr Sata is dying and yesterday the whole Eastern Province and Kamwala Mr Sata was dead. I am not asking for witchhunt but you as Attorney General let's enforce the laws of this country because these Internet they are all orchestrated by UPND. Last year…, the Watchdog is UPND. Who is talking Sata has collapsed, Sata has died, Sata is too sick, it's UPND," President Sata said.
"I am not going to start a witchhunt and as they are saying now, yesterday I was dead, today I am standing here. I think I have got so many lives, even before the elections I was dead, come to the elections I am standing here. And this Mr. Malila reminds you in 2009, our brothers got some fake doctor who told them Mr Sata would die before 2009 so they came into a pact, come 2009 I didn't die, 2010 they pull out of the pact and now they are still peddling. What type of politicians who always want to survive on other people's blood?"
President Sata also said the government would only go to court on various offences when it was certain it had a solid reason to do so to avoid injustice and using the courts for politics.
"How do you send a person on forced leave for more than three years at the same time continue paying that person who is on forced leave, continue paying the permanent secretary salary, he is still getting all the benefits? In my opinion that is corruption. You send a person on forced leave and continue paying them, who is cheating who?" he asked.
"And you remember Mr Malila and Madam Wandi the so-called Task Force for seven years, people were going to court, seven years and the so called prosecutors were getting K100 million a month for three convictions, three convictions for seven years these are things which we have to improve on. Let's go to court only when we are ready to say we have a case to go and present to the courts. Let's not use courts, or use the police for politics but I congratulate you and I know you are going to do well."
President Sata said he did not believe in victimisation and the duo deserved the appointments and he was sure they would do a good job.
And President Sata dissolved the ZNBS board citing corruption.
"Zambia National Building Society is not doing any business. I can't see how the board can appoint a woman and give her K56 million a month. Now K56 million for a month for an organisation which is not making money and that's an organisation where somebody irregularly pumped US$98 million," he said.
"I have with immediate effect dissolved the board of Zambia National Building Society and appointed a commission which will be headed by Mr Mwila Lumbwe. Members will be Mr Nonde of Ernest and Young, Mr Jere, we will have one person from Anti-Corruption Commission and one person from DEC and I want Mr Secretary to the Cabinet to arrange for their swearing in so they can begin their function."
Meanwhile, Attorney General Malila said he was ready for the challenge again.
"I'm getting back to the office already with my sleeves folded. There's work to be done and we are ready to start. It's a big challenge but I think we are equal to the challenge," Malila said.
Malila's contract could not be renewed by former president Rupiah Banda when it expired on December 1, 2009.
"He President Sata spoke very passionately about enforcing the law and so what we can do obviously is review areas where we think the law is being disregarded and take action through appropriate agencies. Of course there's requirement for registration of all publications in whatever form. I think the President's concern is that there are so many of them that are appearing on the market without proper registration," he said.
"What we shall do that's a directive we shall go and sit down and look at the various publications that are on the market and see whether they are complying with the law."
And ACC director general Wandi said she would ensure the commission fought corruption with vigour.
"I feel happy to take up the challenge to effectively fight corruption in Zambia. I will not betray that confidence that has been placed upon me. I will conduct the affairs of the commission within the confines of the law and if we do any investigations, they will be done without fear or favour whoever commits the offence."
Foreign affairs minister Chishimba Kambwili said the appointment of Attorney General Malila and ACC director general Wandi was a manifestation that President Sata was not vindictive as claimed by MMD.
Labels: ATTORNEY GENERAL, MICHAEL SATA, MUMBA MALILA, ROSEWIN WANDI, UPND, ZNBS
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Parliament ratifies Malila's appointment as Attorney General
By Roy Habaalu
Sat 12 Nov. 2011, 08:30 CAT
PARLIAMENT yesterday unanimously ratified the appointments of Mumba Malila and Rosewin Wandi as Attorney General and Anti Corruption Commission director general, respectively. The parliamentarians overwhelmingly supported the motion for ratification of the appointments, saying Malila and Wandi were the right people for the positions.
Seconding the motion, justice deputy minister Ngosa Simbyakula said the duo who also worked under late president Levy Mwanawasa's administration served the country with diligence.
He said Wandi, during her 28-year career in fighting corruption, had proved that she cannot be controlled by any political power.
"Her employment at the Anti Corruption Commission was prematurely terminated by the immediate past government because of her allergy to corruption," said Simbyakula.
And MMD Chisamba member of parliament Moses Muteteka said the choice of Malila was a credible one as he has what it takes to hold the office of Attorney General.
He said the two should act on behalf of Zambians in carrying out their duties and not on behalf of the government or the appointing authority.
Muteteka further urged them to stand up for what is correct and be ready to resign when victimised by the appointing authority as long as the decisions were in favour of the majority Zambians.
Labels: ATTORNEY GENERAL, MOSES MUTETEKA, MUMBA MALILA, PARLIAMENT, ROSEWIN WANDI
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There’s no division over MoH probe, claims Wandi
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
THERE is no division among law enforcement organs in the manner the inquiry on the Ministry of Health is being handled, Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) acting director general Rosewin Wandi has claimed. And Commissioner of Police Graphael Musamba said additional suspects in the K27 billion Ministry of Health corruption scam will be announced later.
During a joint press briefing by Zambia Police, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the ACC, Wandi said the management of the joint inquiry was saddened by a report contained in The Post regarding assertions of frustrations among ACC officers in the manner the inquiry at the Ministry of Health had been progressing of late.
"A joint team of officers comprising officers from the Zambia Police Service, the Anti Corruption Commission and the Drug Enforcement Commission are working together on this matter. The magnitude of the investigation is complex with multiplicity of offences and extremely demanding," she said.
Wandi said it was incorrect to suggest that the inquiry had been hijacked because all law enforcement agencies had responsibilities within their mandate and no single agency could lay claim to the inquiry.
She said it was not correct to state that 'officers' from the ACC were unhappy when it was just one or two disgruntled individuals.
Wandi said all officers who were working on the investigation had taken part in the joint briefings and would continue to operate in that manner.
She said nothing would divert attention from the inquiry which had so far made substantial progress, and more arrests and additional charges would be brought.
Wandi warned officers on the inquiry to observe standing instructions on communication of information through the established channel and any information would be released through the joint command post.
"The command is taking firm measures to get to the root of the matter on the 'alleged frustration' and ensure that the person behind such irresponsible statements are dealt with firmly," she said "The command is confident that with the input of all the law enforcement agencies, the inquiry will be handled professionally to the logical conclusion."
Officers at the ACC on Thursday complained that the Zambia Police had hijacked the investigations and prosecution of former human resource manager in the Ministry of Health Henry Kapoko.
Well-placed sources within ACC revealed that the officers were frustrated with the engagement of the Zambia Police to take over the investigations and prosecution of Kapoko.
And Musamba said the joint command post had chosen the Zambia police to chair the investigations team and would issue statements after consulting with the other members.
He said arrests would be done by all the members of the joint investigative bodies as this was not the jurisdiction of one body.
Musamba said other arrests would follow but he was not in a position to say who and when as they relied on reports from people on the ground.
"In due course, we will release the information, at the moment we are not in a position to say that, let me just say that there will be additional suspects in due course. At an appropriate time, you will be told but we are not going to speculate that such and such a person will be arrested. As soon as the evidence yields in the investigations, we will be able to tell you what you want," he said.
On former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Simon Miti, Musamba said Dr Miti had not been arrested by the joint investigations team and that the public would know as soon as there was a new development.
He also said all dockets that would arise from the investigations would be availed to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
On calls for the investigations to be extended to other government departments, Musamba said the focus for now was on Ministry of Health and when time comes to investigate other government wings, they would progress accordingly.
He said there would be a second phase where everything pertaining to the recovery of other properties would be made public as people on the ground were still gathering information.
The ACC recently unearthed a scam at the Ministry of Health involving some officials where over K10 billion is allegedly to have been corruptly obtained.
Labels: GRAPHAEL MUSAMBA, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ROSEWIN WANDI
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Joint probe team broadens investigations in Zambian Airways operations
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
THE joint investigations team on the operations of Zambian Airways yesterday said the scope of the investigations has been broadened and have denied hitting a snag.
And Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) acting director general Rosewin Wandi said investigations into the K10 billion scam at Ministry of Health were still going on and would now involve the Zambia Police and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).At a joint press briefing by the Police, ACC and DEC, Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde refuted assertions that investigations had hit a snag.
Kabonde said it was also not correct to hold the view that Zambia Police Service and its officers were the only ones conducting investigations into the operations of Zambian Airways and yet there were other officers from the ACC and DEC conducting joint investigations.He said the fact that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had advised the joint investigations team on certain issues did not imply that the matter had been halted.
"It is common practice that the DPP is consulted on various legal opinions before official arrests are effected in order to remove points of ambiguity and consolidate evidence against suspects," he said.Kabonde said the Zambia Police, ACC and DEC still remained committed to ensuring that every case being handled by their officers was thoroughly investigated within the context of professionalism, justice and fair play.He said it was not correct to say that investigations in the operations of Zambian Airways had hit a snag because the matter was still being probed by the three law enforcement agencies.
Kabonde also said it was not one matter that was being investigated on Zambian Airways.Recently, the joint investigations team announced that it had concluded the first phase of investigations into the operations of Zambian Airways and had forwarded the docket to the office of the DPP for further consideration.Kabonde explained that the first phase had to do with passenger fees that were supposed to have been remitted to the National Airports Corporation Limited (NACL).
But a police source last week said police officers investigating the Zambian Airways affairs had now gone for Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) officials whom they want to charge with abuse of office for allegedly failing to comply with board instructions on the airline.
The source said investigations on Zambian Airways had hit a snag.And Wandi said the investigations at the Ministry of Health were still going on and had broadened to include other aspects. "And in broadening the inquiry, we shall also be involving our colleagues from DEC and Zambia Police because of other aspects that have come to the fore," she said.On the concern that the ACC rushed to the media before concluding its investigations, Wandi said the public needed to know about the matter."They are not a secret so to say because abuse of public funds have been in the media even before this.
As the enquiry was progressing, information came to us that some of the assets, some suspects were hiding them so it was necessary to inform the public on what was going on," Wandi said "And as a result of that media briefing, the ACC has benefited as members of the pubic have come forward with further information linked to that enquiry which will prove that even more assets are likely to be exposed that were obtained through corrupt practices at the Ministry of Health."Kabonde said it was difficult to give a timeframe when investigating any matter."When a case is reported, what is supposed to be done is to investigate.
You cannot give a timeframe, for instance these cases happened over a long period of time," he said.Kabonde said in most cases suspected criminals buried their activities over a period of time."So you cannot investigate and conclude investigations in a shortest possible time for crimes that were committed two or three years maximum. The cases in point, what we are doing for Zambian Airways and the Ministry of Health started long time ago. We need to bring in a lot of things, look at the accounts being used, go to the bank and it takes a bit of time," Kabonde said.
"You are aware of cases in Zambia taking three or four years investigations, you cannot give a timeframe but what is important is to know that at one time we will reach there. Investigations means finding out the truth, it doesn't mean when you are investigating then you are taking someone to court, no. It means finding out whether the allegations are true or not. That's the meaning so it's very difficult to give a timeframe.
"Last week, the ACC unearthed a corruption scam in which over K10 billion government funds were suspected to have been corruptly obtained from the Ministry of Health.
Labels: ACC, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ROSEWIN WANDI, ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS
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Wandi urges Zambians not to take pride in stolen wealth
By Patson Chilemba
Sunday July 27, 2008 [04:00]
ANTI-Corruption Commission (ACC) acting director general Rosewin Wandi has said Zambians should not take pride in temporary stolen wealth. Addressing the press at the ACC head offices on Friday, Wandi urged Zambians to change their mindset towards corruption. Wandi appealed to Zambians to take a personal stance against corruption because it affected everyone in the nation.
"It is time to turn around the current state of condoning corruption as a way of life to a point where we begin to see a notable reduction in its levels in the various sectors where measures to prevent it have been instituted," Wandi said. "The law shall surely catch up with perpetrators of corruption as we together, sustain the fight against the scourge, whose consequences can be devastating."
Wandi said the ACC continued to face some challenges in its operations.
She said the law against corruption still remained problematic.
Wandi said there was need to review the ACC Act so that it could take into account various international protocols on corruption. She said in the current provision, whistle-blowers were not protected.
"There is also a need to critically look at the definition of corruption. If you look at some provisions of the law of the current legislation especially on offences to deal with possession of unexplained property, we need to define them and make them more user friendly," Wandi said.
On the operations of the Commission in the first and second quarters of 2008, Wandi said the Commission received 1,170 corruption and non-corruption reports.
She said Lusaka recorded the highest number of reports with 676, while Mongu recorded the lowest at 32.
Wandi said 418 reports were categorised as corruption complaints while 752 were non-corruption related complaints and were treated as information received.
Wandi said from the 418 complaints, only 246 cases were authorised for investigations while 172 were not authorised as they were deemed not pursuable.
"The total number of cases closed in this period including those brought forward from the previous year is 192. The reasons for closure range from lack of evidence to non-availability of witnesses," she said.
Wandi said the Commission recorded 26 arrests for various offences of corruption.
She said within the same period, eight convictions were secured while four acquittals were recorded. Wandi said the number of cases before the courts of law now stood at 105.
She also said the Commission would launch a new strategic plan because the current one was mandated to run from 2004-2008. Wandi disclosed that the Commission would conduct a diagnostic corruption survey to determine the levels of corruption in the country. On the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, Wandi said although it was a perception index, ACC could not ignore it.
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, ROSEWIN WANDI
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