Four Anti Corruption Commission officers last month travelled to South Africa in an attempt to seize Bowman’s Office Park in Sandton after they received fake information that the building belonged to Bowman Lusambo, it has emerged.
Acting on a tip-off, the officers embarked on the trip with the hope that they will seize it as part of investigations into Mr Lusambo’s properties suspected to be proceeds of crime.
One of the officers who were in the “Search and Seize” operation in South Africa has exclusively revealed in an interview that the episode has left an embarrassing taste in the officers at ACC.
The officers later found out that Mr Lusambo had no links to the building which hosts the Head Office for a law firm, Bowman Gilfillan.
Bowman’s Office Park is an iconic and imposing modern building sitting in the heart of Sandton at the corner of Alice Lane and 5th Street, an upmarket part of Gauteng Province in Johannesburg.
Patrice Motsepe who is now CAF President is a former Partner and Attorney at Bowman Gilfillan which he joined in 1988.
When Bowman Gilfillan reorganized in the new post-apartheid environment, Mr Motsepe left to apply his business acumen to the mining trade.
Bowmans last year opened a new office in Zambia, registered as B&M Legal Practitioners with two partners: managing partner, Mabvuto Sakala and Bwalya Chilufya-Musonda.
The ACC officer whose identity has been held to protect him from victimization said the SA trip is one of the many futile undertakings that officers at the Commission have made in an at attempt to find something incriminating on Mr Lusambo.
“We have been under pressure to find something on Bowman. We went to South Africa after an informant told us that he owns that big building in Sandron called Bowmans, we went there and conducted an operation but we drew a blank. We were four of us and the entire trip was funded by the Commission,” the source said.
He also revealed that the Commission has so far undertaken 15 trips to Ndola hoping to find something there during the period he served as Copperbelt Minister.
“It has been tasking on our part as investigators. We combed all the files at Ndola when he found no thing incriminating when he worked as Minister there but there was still pressure to get him, this is when our bosses came up with the sensational story of 49 houses, they actually planted that story in the Diggers to create negative perception of Bowman Lusambo, there are no 49 houses anywhere, ask yourselves why we have not seized them?”
He added, “we have drawn blanks everywhere we have been and this is why the cases we have taken to court aren’t moving but the DPP has told us there is no gravity for these cases. So we had to go and get the house he built when he was private citizen just to create a perception that there is something stinky,” he said.
The source also narrated a recent incident in which a female friend of Mrs. Lusambo was interrogated by ACC officers after she visited her at her flat house in Chalala.
“We were trailing the Madam to Hon. Lusambo somewhere in Chalala and we noticed she entered a yard which had a number of flats inside, after Mrs. Lusambo left, we went in and interrogated the lady she had gone to visit on the ownership of the flats and again we drew a blank, we were under pressure to get something, just anything on Mr. Lusambo,” he said.
On the charges before court involving acquisition of three properties in Silverest area in Chongwe, the source said there is no evidence that the properties actually belong to Mr. Lusambo of the wife, Nancy.
“In trying to find something tangible, we put pressure on the Chinese owners of Silverest to give us something on Bowman after we received information that he could be owning some properties there and we only found that he only made a deposit on three properties which he hasn’t even finished paying off.
“There is nothing at Silverest that shows that the three houses belong to the Lusambo’s and we are very scared as officers that if at all we end up in court, there is a risk that we shall be very embarrassed,” he said.
He added, “the unprofessional manner in which we are being forced to carry out these investigations is risking for our careers. There is a greater chance that we could all lose our jobs when there is a change of government,” he said.
“ I have chosen to come out and share with the nation the pressure we have since President Hichilema moved the day to day operations of the Commission to State House, he is now passing illegal instructions to us thereby complicating our work.”
This is very fake news, extremely fake. I refer to the fact that this story is made up. There are so many factual inaccuracies in this. And I certainly don’t think ACC would fail to simply search property ownership online in a foreign country and would travel all the way to SA for that purpose.
The source? LOL.
Anyone who believes this story needs to reassess their mental capacity.
I am saddened by this story. This government is even using tax payers money to chase cases on hear say.
Hakainde is being exposed gradually. Ba ACC batampa ukumfwa umwenso. Bowman South Africa has threatened to sue them. I have a brother who works at this firm.
FAKE NEWS AGAIN
NOTHING HAS BEEN MENTIONED HERE
LT WHY DONT YOU CHECK ON YOUR FACTS FIRST
THIS IS JUST A SMEAR CAMPAIGN BY DISGRUNTLED ACC OFFICER OR OFFICERS
THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT SOON
This story is not making sense at all… i just dont believe the anonymous officers exist – they sound like frustrated cartel members sympathizing with bowmans… even a 5yr old boy can tell that the X diehard overall wearing cadre was a thug who blatantly abused his ministerial position to the detriment of opposing voices..
@: 3 & 4: Tikki and Sight, I have a brother who works for this firm. He called me immediately he saw Zambian officers. They were not even allowed to enter the building. No investigation was done.
They just went there to find out if the bull Dozer was linked.
Really? This is a very large building. Is your brother working at the entrance? And able to identify people by nationality as they come in? Or could he be part of the building’s closed circuit tv observers who can see everyone in the vicinity??
This is how an entire nation can be deceived due to lack of professionalism. People take up jobs to show off to friends rather than being professional in their roles. Government officials need strict security clearance and code of conduct. ACC should pounce on LT if this story is fake news.
My earlier comment awaits moderation. But I repeat here. This is a very fake story, please don’t believe this story.
There is no way any of this is factual.
@Henry, quit lying please. May I ask you, since you claim that your brother works at that building. How many floors does it have? And who provides security services there?
@Chiza Chirwa
MY THOUGHTS AS WELL
@8: Chiza Chirwa, honestly is it necessary to know the number of floors. Why should I get into those details.
Chirwa, you must realise is that the fight against corruption is biased and it will not go anywhere. Only sincere and focused people will win this fight. This government is sugar coating everything.
@Henry
I put it to you there was no investigation done neither were they denied entry into the building
Also A building called Bowmans is automatically linked to Lusambo kikikiki
Some of us are stupid but certainly not that stupid !!
@Henry, if you know those details, then your hoax about your brother working there and having seen ACC officers may just become factual.
As it stands, this story is fake, and you are making up things, this is why you may have to answer those questions to get any merit. I know the answers to those questions because I have visited that office several times. And your brother must know that too.
Let’s debate on facts please.
Tikki @11, Lol, you are making me laugh muntu wanga, my human being. Can you imagine the lunacy of this story and expecting us to swallow it?
Doesn’t sound authentic. Someone trying to create hype out of what is going on. I do not believe that ACC is so incompetent as to do things that way. If they really did, I will say this: Tekeni ama weno panshi…
I don’t think this report is true. U don’t just turn up at a property without first conducting a search where properties are registered. ACC officers who include lawyers cannot be this stupid.
Fake story…………
We know Bowman is a du.ll theif………
Too du.ll to own a building like that…….
Who would belive Bowman, who keeps malnourished zebras in his back yard owning such a building ?????
Pleas , LT , have some respect for the intelligence of Zambians……..
Sounds more like a nkhani ya mukachasu if you ask me. Don’t you need to go through diplomatic channels when dealing with assets abroad? What were the ACC officers going to do there? Stand as security guards after seizing it? I am sure RSA has a more robust system of identifying owners of properties thatn we do
Fake news, RSA Authorities and Zambian Authorities can still work together in finding or tracking down any inform if need be. E.g how does Interpol operate?
When I tell you that the fight against corruption under upnd is just a personal vendetta for hh to fix his opponents, you think I am lying? Look how f00Iish HHs ACC now looks. Hh is upset that the truth about him would have been revealed had our plans for privatisation inquiry gone ahead. Don’t worry we will be back to recommission it. F00Iish
LT………..
Have some respect for the intelligence of your readers………..
Even grade 7 kids would debunk such reports……….
The PF caders you used to cater for with blatant lies and ridiculous reports have mostly dissipated………
You should try your best not to take anything trolls say seriously. No matter how poorly they behave, remember these people spend countless unproductive hours trying to make people mad. They’re not worth your time of the day.
This is madness. Total madness, I say. This makes the whole corruption fight a chase after the winds.
That whole team of 4 officers will soon be fired. In Lusambos name. Amen
Hahahahahahaha, nkhani ya mu kachasu, zoona! Why even travel to SA when there are records where the honourable is boasting? Just play the videos to them and let them explain.
Although the ongoing Corruption fight is more politically inclined, this story can only do well on television as a crime thriller.
This sounds fake. Am sure there are other channels that can be used at governmental level without even sending a party of workers to SA to gather information. This sounds very fake.
I have only one observation to those who are saying the story is fake.
Where are the 49 houses that ACC told us that Lusambo owns?
Where are the 30 properties that they told us Amos chanda owns?
Or have people forgotten?
Just a thought.
Why is fake news becoming a new normal ?? just look at how the mainstream media is misbehaving out there? and Im just glad most of y’all here could read between the lines… don’t believe e’thing you see on CNN BBC etc- we are living in a fake world now
Not even a drunk would believe such claptrap…no Director would approve purchase of 4 air tickets and accomodation to RSA to investigate ownship of a building in RSA and for ACC to carry out seize orders they need court approval and in a foreign country it is a complicated matter. Such fake outlandish news spins has the fingerprints of one dull boy called Antonia Mwanza.
Not even a drunk would believe such claptrap…no Director would approve purchase of 4 air tickets and accomodation to RSA to investigate ownship of a building in RSA and for ACC to carry out seize orders they need court approval and in a foreign country it is a complicated matter. Such fake outlandish news spins has the fingerprints of one dull boy called Antonia Mw@nza.
comment is awaiting moderation??
This sounds like TAYALI pitch !!! , listen to Tayali on some videos circulating, same pitch regarding those Silverest. Useless, and I could not finish reading the crap.
If this is how crapy ACC is , then we are in deep sh!t with the fight against corruption. This sounds like a scene in the western movie tracking italian mafYas. Corruption should be a Zambian people`s cause, instead of bloggers here insulting each other, we should bond together and fight this animal regardles whether you are PF or UPND. The same way as demonstrated in Kakubo`s case where the majority of bloggers on both UPND and PF called him out for suspected corruption endovour.
DeJa Vu – “Although the ongoing Corruption fight is more politically inclined….”
You want ACC to ignore the likes of Bowman & Co because they are PF…PF was a very corrupt regime which you yourself are in denial and would never state publicily..anyone who stole should face the law.
The whole story here is also FAKE, no way the commission of inquiry would be so low to send people to South Africa for a building that has been there before Lusambo became a politician. This is a PF Cadre article.
@ # 5. Henry, you are a liar you don’t have a brother who work there and there was no ACC officer who went to SA for any Investigation. Stop it people have a LIFE.
I am glad that Zambians are learning to be sceptical in this social media era. Unless Iam a poor investigator, probing the ownership of a building doesnt need me to visit that structure. There are deeds or records offices that I can consult orinvestigate.
Antonia Mwanza and Emmanuel (Not Ammbassdor anymore) Mwamba are capable of churning out such claptrap…those chaps have too much time on their hands now!!
Ant*n1a Mw*nz@ and Emmanuel (Not Ammbassdor anymore) Mwamba are capable of churning out such claptrap…those chaps have too much time on their hands now!!
LT why are you moderating the name Ant*n1a Mw*nz@ he is no longer PF media director and PF is out of govt…no one will bully you!!
#35 Tarino Orange again you miss the gist of the story…..l don’t support theft. But of course the current situation is heavily leaning on one side. If in the end it’s proved someone is proved innocent or otherwise let it be so.
@Futurezed “…an entire nation can be deceived due to lack of professionalism.”
Indeed the journalism profession severely lacks professionalism in Zambia since it can publish any garbage any time and there will always be a market waiting for such trash. Are there schools of journalism in Zambia? What are they doing producing graduates who come and feed us such sewage?
Lusaka Times, this story is faker than snow in the Sahara desert. We know you have co-opted by the PF to create a negative impression of the current government so that the gullible voters will remember the days of PF fondly. Well, I have news for you; PF will never ever rule this country again. The cabal of economic saboteurs aka PF will never ascend to the seat of power in this country of ours! Your objective is to see the fight against corruption to fail so that the Zambian people should rise against the New Dawn government. You have another 9 years of political heartburn, for the New Dawn is just beginning. Hold tight the 1.8, its gonna be a long ride!
@Lusaka Times: Your office is based in Lusaka; There are numerous times that ACC or DEC has seized property or arrested PF stoogies without you docile newspaper hearing of a thing,so how did you hear abt this one?which miles away your ka kulima tower headoffice? Do you now have trans-pacific supersonic sattelites? And also be careful of implicating wealthy people into your fake stories cos when they find out they can actually sue and wipe entire head office that is cleaned using a mop and a full bucket of water. I do understand your main aim is to attach Bowman Lusambo to any well respected genuine Businessmen but this is not the level of PF cadres, they never dealt with any legit Business. So your efforts can only but turn even more soar.
The real story,from our intelligence, is that, Yes Lusambo is here in SA and the rumours(not confirmed yet) are that OP or ACC or DEC officers are trailing him,he then went to hide in our of these building were he has rented an apartment as hide-out(running away from Zambia) and thats how the offices have gained formal access to the building through the South African Gvnmnt. And all this is happening under cover and nothing that Lusaka Times can come back to Zambia & report abt,its all under cover,somehow not even the owner of the building knows whats going on. Yes Lusambo is officially now on the run,so will other PF officials cos look,their offences,most of them are unbailable if found guilty & bear very very long jail terms. Cos also look! anyone can be a witness to their cases as the…
All these thieves will definitely get arrested believe me, for those that have worked with HH in the private sector know how this man treats corruption.He is a person that arrested his own brother for stealing his cattle-do you ever dream he is gonna let the PF thieves scott free? hahahahahahhahaha. What is taking him long is that he doesnt want it to look like a witch-hunt or revenge. Cos really whoever wud ve won the previous elections these PF folks have a case to answer to. A very very big case: Gassing,Procurement, Corruption, Murders, Tribalism, Theft, Bus station/Market hooliganism.There is just way too much evidence of everything everywhere.
Shocking LT has become a peddler of fake News. Not only peddling fake news but spreading it online for the world to read. Any news outlet that manufactures false information has quickly fizzled out of its business, first by public loss of confidence and the law, then law suits follow and finally the law cramps it down. LT is heading that way.
Stop blaming LT. There is no smoke without fire. It has been noted earlier that UPND’s Ministers & Govt. Officers are not allowed to THINK. Note that the Zondo Commission in South Africa has submitted a State Capture Report to the Govt. The State Capture Project was engineered by the GUPTA Family. Culprits will soon face the Justice System. Then WHY should Zambia’s ACC conceive a Project that would tarnish the integrity of South Africa’s Investigative Units? The Auditor General must probe the Govt head-less misusers of tax-payers money.