The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit, has arrested and jointly charged two people for money laundering activities involving over US$180,000.
The suspects have been identified as Bernard Angetile aged 54, of 24 Mukuba village, Riverside in Kitwe and Linda Ngwira aged 53 of HCH-2-14 NAPSA Complex in Kalulushi.
DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo said the duo, who are business owners of Linber Enterprise Limited, were contracted by the Ministry of National Development Planning (MNDP) to supply laboratory equipment for a research center in Lusaka province.
“It is alleged that the company forged documents purporting that they had delivered part of the equipment in order to get the payment when in fact not,” Ms. Katongo said in a statement made available to the media in Lusaka yesterday.
She said the details of the offense are that the duo, on dates unknown but between February 01, 2019 and October 31, 2019, submitted a tax invoice valued at US$247, 83 and a packing list purporting that they delivered items indicated on the packing list which included two equipment namely bench-top (XRD), valued at US$145, 000 and Mid Infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer valued at US$43,000 as per agreed terms when in fact not.
Ms. Katongo said Linber Enterprises Limited was then fully paid 65 percent (US$247, 839.80) of the contract sum claimed on tax invoice and submitted a delivery note to an unauthorized worker at Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) at Mount Makulu in Chilanga purporting to show that the company had delivered some items which included one Bench-top (XRD) valued at US$145,000.00 when in fact not.
She further explained that Linber Enterprises Limited subsequently transferred US$ 55,385 into its Kwacha account domiciled at a named bank and used the said funds to settle its accounts payables which included debts and staff salaries.
Meanwhile, the DEC in Lusaka has arrested Vanessa Koonjul, a 28-year-old Mauritian national residing in Zambia for trafficking in 147.7grams of Heroin.
Ms. Katongo said the suspect was intercepted at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on March 02, 2021, as she was receiving a parcel that contained the Heroin.
She said all the suspects are in police custody and necessary arrangements are being made for them to appear before the courts of laws.
The fault lies with the Ministry of National Development Planning for engaging a briefcase company. This is wht is annoying Sean Tembo.
Theresa is one of the best I ever had. I am just reflecting on my past encounters as a single man.
I checked prices of machines in story, they are below $25,000. Meaning over pricing by ateast $100,000
OBVIOUSLY THE DIDNT PAY THE COMMISSION >>>> STUP^D OF THEM SO DOWN THEY WILL GO
Researchers at ZARI know reliable manufacturers of laboratory equipment and if the Ministry of National Development Planning had consulted them, they would hv procured the equipment from manufacturers at a very competitive price.