The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced its decision to appeal the acquittal of former Justice Minister Given Lubinda on charges related to the possession of properties deemed to be proceeds of crime. ACC Head of Corporate Communications, Timothy Moono, made the announcement during a media briefing held in Lusaka.
Mr. Lubinda was acquitted of the charge of possession of properties, which were alleged to be proceeds of crime, amounting to over $200,000. The ACC has expressed its intention to study the court judgment thoroughly before launching the appeal process.
The decision to appeal comes after the Economic and Financial Crimes Court acquitted Mr. Lubinda of corruption charges on April 18, 2024. The court ruled that the properties acquired by Mr. Lubinda were not proceeds of crime but were legally acquired. It cited that funds received by Mr. Lubinda in his dollar account were in respect of a loan facility entered into by his company, Highview Investment, with Qingdao Ruichang Cotton Company.
The state had accused Mr. Lubinda of receiving $50,000 from China Africa Cotton Limited and $180,000 from Qingdao Ruichang Cotton Industrial Company Limited, alleging that these funds were proceeds of crime. However, the court found that they were part of a legitimate loan arrangement.
In addition to the appeal against Mr. Lubinda’s acquittal, the ACC provided updates on its recent activities. Over the past three months, the commission has seized 68 motor vehicles valued at over 41 million Kwacha in connection with various cases under investigation. Additionally, 25 motor vehicles valued at 20 million Kwacha were forfeited to the state.
Mr. Moono explained that these motor vehicles were recovered during investigations and subsequently forfeited to the state after the expiration of a Gazette Notice for the owners to claim them. The ACC’s efforts underscore its commitment to combating corruption and recovering assets obtained through illicit means.
These back doors deal we hear about, they’re for real. Cats with money or little name stays above the Zambian Law.
There’s a twist to this… there’s a person who does odd jobs which on a lucky day earns him 50 kwacha. Last month while he was out trying to get some piece work, someone broke into his cabin and stole all the little he had including pots and school items for his children. Now if you were magistrate would let off that person because what he stole amounted to nothing?
The magistrate stated that the state had failed to prove its case without providing any explanation.
Where and how did the state fail?
Training on complex financial crime cases in needed urgently.
This is a witch hunt… and the hunter has sent his dogs to try to find a fresh scent so that the prey can be fully trapped.
Where is the money realized from the export of maize? We’ve started to import our own maize! Trucks that loaded maize destined for Kenya have started to come back through Tanzania as imports. Where is the money? You can’t steal the whole nation’s food security. Where is the money?
The money was paid back to the farmers you borrowed from on promissory notes
Fighting corruption is good but the elephant is in the room. When will Hakainde declare his assets? We need to know? If you get a loan and buy a house it becomes proceeds of crime. How many former parastatal houses did Hakainde acquire while privatising Govt assets. We hear that Musio tunya sun hotel was sold for $20 m less than the bids so someone gained $20m overnight. Will someone explain in court among other deals? People must also question properties owned by politicians in South Africa, Dubai, UK among others. Please we want to see UPND fat cats also questioned. This selective corruption fight is not helping our country. There must be no sacred cows. The misuse of Govt resources by head of state must stop.
He won’t because he doesn’t want you to know what he had before becoming president and what he will have at the end of his presidency. He will simply say I was already a wealthy person even before I became president.
DejaFooool.Welcome back from your illness
You are desperate.
Your small god gives KCM back to Agrawal and as I predicted the has sold it to some Arabs at a very high price. Losers!
This Indian man Lubinda is so corrupt as his fellow Indians. Such people like his companion Lung, must never be given a chance to come back into power. They will completely empty Zambian resources. My advise to the authorities is confiscate all the money obtained through corruption and use it to improve the university of Zambia.