Africa-Press – Zambia. A government official who was appointed into Foreign Service by the previous regime has been implicated in the alleged corrupt purchase of the controversial Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has called for the named male suspect to return to Zambia to appear in court in connection with corruption allegations.
Last December, the Commissioner arrested former Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale for corrupt practices involving over US$573.9 million in connection to the procurement of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet. Mwale, 51, of Flat 21 Eureka Park in Makeni, was charged with three counts of Wilful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) and one count of Fraudulent Facilitation of Payment from the Public Revenue.
ACC Director General, Tom Shamakamba, gave an update on the matter and said, “There is one officer who was serving in the previous government, who is out of the country, we are just waiting for him to arrive, that one I can confirm because I have been pushing that he comes back. He was appointed in one of the countries in the embassy, actually they have facilitated, by this month end, he should be in the country.”
Once the suspect is back in Zambia, he will join others scheduled to appear in court. “We are just waiting for that person to come,” Mr. Shamakamba told a media briefing yesterday.
The ACC Director General also updated the media on the investigations into Faith Musonda, a journalist who was found in 2021 with over K65.3 million and US$57,000 in proceeds of crime which were later forfeited to the state. The ACC suspects she has more properties suspected to be proceeds of crime, and investigations are still active.
“When that property from New Kasama and the money were taken from her together with the cash, she did not disclose that there were other properties she owned, so if you do not open up in full, the immunity does not warrant to be given to you,” Mr. Shamakamba said.
Mr. Shamakamba also stated that many residents in the Makeni Balmoral area were served with restriction orders due to the public who went to report on the suspicious house built in that area, saying they could be from proceeds of crime. He reiterated that not all served are politicians. Among the ones served with the order are Amb. Mwamba and Hon. Harry Kalaba.
The ACC is committed to rooting out corruption in all its forms and is working tirelessly to bring all perpetrators to justice. The public is urged to cooperate with the ACC by reporting any suspicious activities related to corruption. As Mr. Shamakamba stated, “Our commitment is to ensure that all those who have been suspected or caught in corrupt activities face the law, regardless of their status or position.”
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