Africa-Press – Zambia. THE Economic and Financial Crimes Court is today expected to deliver a conclusive judgement in a corruption-related case involving former foreign affairs minister Joe Malanji and former Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba.
The two were in court for possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime, and for the mismanagement of government funds.
Over the past four years, the Court has heard revelations of how US$5 million which was released by the Zambian government, meant for the purchase of a Chancery for the Zambian mission in Turkey but was diverted by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who personally went to collect it from Turkey.
During trial, top Drug Enforcement Commission top Investigator Kwaleyela Mukelabai Mukelabai had testified that the money was flown back to Zambia using a presidential jet and ended up in the former minister’s living room, as Malanji’s former boss, late sixth republican president, Edgar Lungu personally released the presidential jet for Malanji’s suspicious trips abroad.
A Turkish embassy driver testified that he personally loaded the cash onto the plane assigned to Malanji.
Gulce Senger, an Interpreter at the Zambian Embassy in Turkey said according to the contract for the purchase of property the Landlord had requested for US$1.5 million but receipts show that less money was paid.
She said each floor of the building was registered for separately at the lands office and was paid for with different amounts. The transaction fueled corruption suspicions among investigators.
The Drug Enforcement Commission’s top investigator revealed that Malanji secretly stashed two helicopters in South Africa and Zimbabwe during investigations a Bell 430 and a Bell 206 Jet Ranger which were allegedly purchased using diverted Government funds.
The aircraft was seized and flown back to Zambia with the help of the South African Court.
Prior to the 2021 general election, Malanji earned himself the nickname of Bonanza as he would dish out cash to cadres and anyone who would stop him for a greeting, and cared less about his coffers running empty.
When quizzed about the source of his funds Malanji explained that he had lucrative business in Congo which proved to be false during investigations, as the business address led investigators to a historical place which a house of Catholic nuns.
The former foreign affairs minister claimed he had business deals with China Civil Engineering Corporation and Mass Investment Group Sarl through his company Gibson Power Systems which is registered in Kitwe.
It is alleged that Malanji provided law enforcement officers with financial statements from Raw Bank in Congo which had falsified business transactions of the payments he received from the said companies.
Adding further credence to Malanji’s charges,, a Congolese magistrate dismantled the former minister’s claims of having lucrative business ventures in the Democratic Republic of Congo, describing the supporting documents as forgeries that led to an address of Catholic nuns instead of companies.
Charles Kabozya, testified that the alleged companies and transactions never existed. What was presented as evidence of multi-million dollar deals were outright forgeries.
Kwaleyela Mukelabai also revealed that Fredson Yamba, former Secretary to the Treasury, approved the release of K154,201,197, claiming it was in the Government’s interest to avoid paying more interest than principal on a mortgage for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ purchase of a chancery and staff houses in Turkey. He said this was after Malanji pressured him into releasing the money.
Mukelabai said In his statement, Yamba insisted he did not abrogate the law because he was saving the government from paying the high interest rate of the loan that the Government was about to procure.
Yamba and his co-accused Malanji are accused of failing to adhere to guidelines relating to the management of public resources and possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Yamba is alleged to have abrogated the law relating to the management of public property when he approved the transfer of K154,201,197 for the purchase of a chancery in Turkey.
Malanji is accused of possessing two helicopters BELL430 and a BELL 206 Jet Ranger helicopter, Gibson Royal Hotel and Seven houses in Silverest Gardens, suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The EFCC will determine whether Malanji and Yamba will walk free or face conviction in one of Zambia’s most closely watched corruption trials, a case that has gripped the nation with tales of missing millions, forged documents, and helicopters hidden across borders.
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