DEC Summons SATA’s SON Mulenga, Chifire OVER K1.8 Billion Vehicle TRANSACTIONS

THE Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has summoned Committee of Citizens executive director, Gregory Chifire and President Michael Sata’s son, Mulenga, over allegations that the latter has acquired two luxurious vehicles worth K1.8 billion.
And Mr Chifire has welcomed President Sata’s directive to have the two appear before the DEC over the allegations.
DEC acting spokesperson, Samuel Silomba, said in Lusaka yesterday that officers from the investigative wing have been trying to contact both Mulenga and Mr Chifire.
“I want to confirm that we are summoning the two and officers are trying to make contact with them, especially Mr Chifire. Even this morning officers were trying to contact Mr Chifire,” he said.
Mr Silomba has since encouraged members of the general public to report any suspicious matters to the Commission.
“We would like to encourage members of the public to have confidence in law enforcement agencies by providing information before they even decide to go public,” he said.
In an interview, Mr Chifire said in Lusaka yesterday that he was waiting for the DEC to summon him so that he could tell them what he knew.
President Sata directed that investigations be instituted into the allegations made by Mr Chifire that his son had acquired two luxurious vehicles within 60 days that the father had been in office.
“First of all I do not think it should be a media war, I was just a whistle blower. I am waiting for the summons from the DEC so that I go and say what I know and other businesses. The directive by the president is very welcome. I was just a whistle blower,” he said.
Mr Chifire said he could not make baseless accusations against the president’s son if he did not have evidence.
He, however, pointed out that he would not accuse Mulenga of being guilty because Zambian laws were clear that one was innocent until proven guilty.
“I would not say that he is guilty because our Constitution is very clear that everyone is innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. I, however, stand by the statement I issued about the allegations,” he said.
Mulenga, who is Kabulonga Ward Councillor, had given Mr Chifire up to yesterday to apologise or face legal action.
According to Mulenga’s lawyers Mweemba Chashi and Partners, the President’s son warned that he would seek legal action unless Mr Chifire retracted his statement and apologised.

Mr Chifire had challenged Government to explain how Mulenga allegedly became rich suddenly when he had been selling dogs before his father became President.

The outspoken NGO leader alleged that Mulenga had suddenly acquired money and property in unexplained circumstances. Among the properties Mulenga is alleged to own was a brand new Jeep costing about K800 million and a brand new Toyota GX, valued at about K1 billion.

But William Mweemba from Mweemba Chashi and Partners, said in a letter addressed to Mr Chifire that the statement attributed to the NGO leader was defamatory and had injured Mulenga as a businessman, professional civil Engineer and politician.

Following the accusations, President Sata ordered investigations into the matter and urged Mr Chifire to furnish the investigative wings with necessary information concerning the matter.

President Sata, who has received commendation on the directive, has vowed not to shield anyone from prosecution and has since advised Mr Chifire to put down a formal complaint with the law enforcement
agencies.

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Posted by Editor on December 5, 2011. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.