ACC CONCLUDES HIGH-PROFILE CASES

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has concluded investigations in a number of high-profile cases and has since handed over the findings to its legal department for thorough scrutiny.
The cases include the alleged abuse of authority of office against Youth and Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili over congratulatory advertisements in the print media regarding his acquisition of a degree from Copperstone University.
Others are the alleged abuse of authority of office by Pambashe Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela and his Mwansabombwe counterpart Rogers Mwewa in connection with the misapplication of Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
ACC public relations manager, Timothy Moono said during a second quarter media briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the commission also concluded investigations of alleged abuse of authority of office against former Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary for Administration, Anna Mwewa.
“I cannot give the time (when assessment of evidence will be concluded) because our legal department has to sift through the evidence that has been gathered from our investigators to see whether the information that they have gathered proves a case.
Meanwhile, Mr Moono said the ACC had concluded investigations on the alleged irregularities in the manner the Digital Migration tender under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services was awarded and has since closed the case upon discovering that the allegations were not proven.
Mr Moono said investigations against former Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga for allegedly receiving a bribe from a company that was bidding for the Digital Migration tender were currently ongoing and would be concluded soon.
Investigations against former Tourism and Arts minister, Sylvia Masebo on alleged abuse of authority of office in the manner she cancelled the hunting concessions awarded to the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) were nearing conclusion.
Ms Masebo is also being investigated for alleged abuse of authority of office in the manner she is alleged to have feted some named traditional leader using public funds during a civil matter in court against her and the ACC had almost concluded the probe.
The ACC has concluded investigations on suspected corruption in the manner contracts were awarded to companies to undertake preparatory works for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly and found that the evidence was insufficient for a criminal prosecution but recommended administrative actions.
Mr Moono further said that the commission had in the second quarter of this year received 1,065 suspected corruption cases and those included 20 cases from the 2012 Auditor General’s Report, 17 of which are on the CDF and three on accounts of parastatal bodies.

Times of Zambia