The joint investigations team has today recorded a warn and caution statement for former finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane for the offence of abuse of authority of office, contrary to section 99(i) of the penal code cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.
This is in a case in which Dr.Musokotwane granted the deferment of value added tax (VAT) and excise duty to Varun Beverages Zambia limited the producers of Pepsi on their product for a period of five years.
Dr. Musokotwane was accompanied by his lawyer Milton Mubonda of D.H Kemp and company.
This is contained in a statement released to QFM by public relations officer of the joint government investigative wing, Charity Chanda.
Meanwhile Police have arrested and charged four people of Lusaka with forgery.
The police have also confiscated a computer, a scanner with a printer and a type writer.
Also confiscated are forged copies of school certificates, college diplomas and degrees of the University of Zambia, the Copperbelt University, the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and theUniversity of Namibia,
Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela named those arrested as Samuel Muyunda aged 38 of Kuomboka Chawama, Visto Chinyimba aged 44 of Chipata Overspill, Bonnet Kaluya aged 52 of Jack Compound as well as 39 year old Emelda Bwalya of Matero compound.
Ms. Kanjela told journalists in Lusaka this afternoon that the victims will appear in court soon.
She has further warned members of the public that the police force will extend the arrests to people who are in possession of forged documents.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kanjela says police have apprehended two people of George Compound for making fake cement.
She says the two have been detained to help with further investigations in the matter.
QFM
Is it Mr or Ms Kanjela?
Dr.Musokotwane granted the deferment of value added tax (VAT) and excise duty to Varun Beverages Zambia limited the producers of Pepsi on their product for a period of five years.
Isn’t that a bit too much of a time? Pepsi is a popular drink.
If i may – could some one give an elaborate definition of what a “Warn and Caution Statement” is?
ise sti ziba choncho – ni zed stylo
Yes what is warn and caution.It seems we will be hearing a lot of this phrase for years to come.Is it like saying Musokotwane if you grant another deferment of VAT we will arrest you?
What’s this man doing? Mr Sata, do you realize the previous government was also democratically elected? You were elected to change course, not to arrest and prosecute former government officials for the policies they carried out. Implement your own policies. You have a fiduciary duty to the nation to manage the country on behalf of the people. Instead what we’re seeing instead is a thuggish likely to plunge the nation into chaos.
Read the ZDA Act, this waiver is not illegal but why the entire minister and not ZDA? That’s why he is in problems,should have been smarter and taken it to cabinet. Look at PF, almost everything they discuss or are upset at they table in cabinet meetings.
Incentives are given. Such a thing is done when ZDA RECOMMENDS to THE minister OF FINANCE FOR LARGE companies,but for micro,small and medium businesses,the ZDA does it on their own without the minister.My Licences excludes PAYE,Company tax but not VAT.I still pay for next 3years.
Whats a warn and caution statement and whats its purpose?
A warn and caution is a recorded statement taken from an alleged perpetrator that the state will rely on in the event that the matter they are investigating is prosecuted. I was going to add that Tax breaks were part of the MMD’s policy for attracting investors, certainly from Supreme Furnisher, shop rite time. But hey, it’s PF time and anything goes.
Warn and Caution Statement..search results heavily tag results from Zambian News – No Definition whats so ever exists – Pure ZP Police Jargon!
The “victims” will appear in court. What English do the teach in our secondary schools, colleges and the universities kanshi? They steal from you and they become victims when they are arrested? Awe shuwa twapapatala! Ba Zanis nabena ati be mourned when they mean bemoaned.
Mr Musokotwane was part of a government. Why don’t u “warn & caution” the whole MMD gvt as a unit?
And for God’s sake when are we getting more jobs for the youth????!!!!!!
Did the minister single handedly give out those investment packages? There are a lot of Companies thathave been given that package from Chiluba’s time.What is PF’s investment policy apart from threatening investors?
Can someone explain Why Chinese don’t pay PAYE tax but they work on Zambian soil? Check ZRA payroll system, Check Huawei, zte and chambishi mine payroll systems at ZRA. Its unfair.
Thats what you get if you become a gulfy boy, situmbeko grew big headed, now it is pay back time, stay calm you have been cautioned, investigation continues.
The coming of pepsi back to Zambia was a good indicator. Tax holidays are sometimes given so as to enable a firm to be established and recover loses. I wonder the kind of incentives that PF will give to foreign investors remember we are all fighting for the same dollar,unless Pf have special plans. I only they are not shooting themselves in the foot.
A warn and Caution statement is recorded from a suspect.The suspect is told of the allegations or crimes they are being invstigatged, their rights. Thtat is the right to remain silent or speak out and thei right to have a Lawyer. The Warn and Cautionn statement also implies that whataever the suspect says can be used in a court of law as part of evidence againts them. After the Warn and Caution, the Law Enforcement Officers can either discontnue their investigations or proceed to charge or arrest the suspect. If they arrrest the suspect they now record a chrarge statement. Its one way of saying we could arrest you or we do not have evidence but we want to scare you.
Police may know what we do not know hence the going that route; could waiver have been given in exchange for something??? We wait to hear hear.
ZDA can give TAX holidays and not Ministry of Finance or the Minister…..thats abuse of authority.
Why should Pepsi be given such investment conditions which coca cola does not enjoy? Pepsi may create some jobs for Zambians but VAT must be paid. They are making super profits considering that their products are selling at the same price with Coke. I dont see the relevance of this company and why Musoskotwane went over board to lick their behinds.
Thanks # 8 and # 16 for the clarification on “Warn and Caution” so basically its a lame version of the Miranda Rights – You have the right to remain silent etc etc etc….
I think the VAT and duties referred to relate to imports of plant and equipment. It does not relate to the Pepsi products sold to the public, which invariably are VAT rated. Varun pay the VAT on the products less input VAT because they do issue tax invoices to their customers.
LT, please reserach these issues. You are confusing us unnecessarily. Thank you.
#6, ZDA does not issue Statutory Instruments, only a Minister can. And that misconception about tabling matters before cabinet for discussion, are you sure it is not a clever way of rubber stamping the boss’s desires? And it’s worse because the entire cabinet will be imprisoned when government changes, instead of just whoever was Minister of Finance at the time.
What is this warn and caution statement…is it for VIP criminals?? Nobody is ever going to be arrested at this pace…utter rubbish!!!
forging university degrees is a serious crime to contemplate, one needs to be content with what he can or has achieved coz thats how far he can go or he could have gone. sometimes we may wish to be like others but we can not, maybe because its our destiny but we need to accept our status quo and move on, forging degrees from C.B.U. or U.N.Z.A. will not convince our conscience we deserve the rewards of a university degree.Â
the law must and should take its course so that perpetrators and would be perpetrators can appreciate it pays to endure and percevere rather than resort to the easy way out. abash forgery abash!!!