Saturday, November 23, 2024

ACC Investigates Allegedly Corrupt Purchase of Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet

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A government official who was appointed into Foreign Service by the previous regime has been implicated in the alleged corrupt purchase of the controversial Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has called for the named male suspect to return to Zambia to appear in court in connection with corruption allegations.

Last December, the Commissioner arrested former Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale for corrupt practices involving over US$573.9 million in connection to the procurement of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet. Mwale, 51, of Flat 21 Eureka Park in Makeni, was charged with three counts of Wilful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) and one count of Fraudulent Facilitation of Payment from the Public Revenue.

ACC Director General, Tom Shamakamba, gave an update on the matter and said, “There is one officer who was serving in the previous government, who is out of the country, we are just waiting for him to arrive, that one I can confirm because I have been pushing that he comes back. He was appointed in one of the countries in the embassy, actually they have facilitated, by this month end, he should be in the country.”

Once the suspect is back in Zambia, he will join others scheduled to appear in court. “We are just waiting for that person to come,” Mr. Shamakamba told a media briefing yesterday.

The ACC Director General also updated the media on the investigations into Faith Musonda, a journalist who was found in 2021 with over K65.3 million and US$57,000 in proceeds of crime which were later forfeited to the state. The ACC suspects she has more properties suspected to be proceeds of crime, and investigations are still active.

“When that property from New Kasama and the money were taken from her together with the cash, she did not disclose that there were other properties she owned, so if you do not open up in full, the immunity does not warrant to be given to you,” Mr. Shamakamba said.

Mr. Shamakamba also stated that many residents in the Makeni Balmoral area were served with restriction orders due to the public who went to report on the suspicious house built in that area, saying they could be from proceeds of crime. He reiterated that not all served are politicians. Among the ones served with the order are Amb. Mwamba and Hon. Harry Kalaba.

The ACC is committed to rooting out corruption in all its forms and is working tirelessly to bring all perpetrators to justice. The public is urged to cooperate with the ACC by reporting any suspicious activities related to corruption. As Mr. Shamakamba stated, “Our commitment is to ensure that all those who have been suspected or caught in corrupt activities face the law, regardless of their status or position.”

11 COMMENTS

  1. Just say you are looking for ways to corner one Edgar Lungu. Why don’t you just arrest him instead of fluttering like moths around a light bulb.

  2. Not a single effing conviction. If you want a conviction try investigating hh, the evidence is overwhelming during privatisation but they would rather go after pf because we are a threat.

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  3. The only one who needs to be investigated is mutinta hichilema. Whilst you investigate her, also look into why that meno meno photographer was taken far away from mutinta hichilema. You will unravel some shocking truths.

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  4. So you are waiting for one officer to come back and you are announcing this publicly…not very smart why should this person even turn up if he knows he is guilty.

  5. kkkkk stop wasting tax payers money and that Gulfstream G650 is for the zambian govt and not for the individual,so please stop and let us move on and look at the issues in the mines,mealie meal,fuel and stop runing away from your responsibilities.Very shameful that even our neoghbouring countries are laughing at us.Honestly you go book a plane and you have two which you can use.Problem too much fear from these organs ACC,DEC,JUDICIARY,LEGISLATURE AND EXCACTIVE all these organs are captured.

  6. As long as individuals are being arrested Zambians know thieves existed in PF regime. Others are serving jail terms in their old age. ABC dodged by death would have been in jail too. Carry on ACC and thieves and their sympathisers will carry on crying. Zambians will know what was happening then and how PF caused suffering in Zambia.

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