EXPOSED: Plunder Of Public Funds UNEARTHED In N/PROVINCE

A provincial taskforce comprising officers from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the Zambia Police (ZP) set up to investigate allegations of theft, fraud, illegal tendering and corruption at the Northern Province Administration and line ministries has unearthed financial scams worth billions of Kwacha involving government officials in the previous administration.

Provincial Taskforce Chairperson Mary Chikwanda, who is also Provincial Police Commissioner for Northern Province has confirmed the development.

She said the Task-force was constituted by the Permanent Secretary for Northern Province, Emmanuel Mwamba in line with President Michael Sata’s vision and policy of zero tolerance against corruption.

Ms Chikwanda states that the Taskforce has so far seized trucks, luxury motor vehicles, houses and a building complex in Kasama owned by government officials currently under investigations.

She said the investigations have so far exposed financial scams at Provincial Administration, departments at Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education involving over K3billion.

Ms Chikwanda says last week, the Commission also exposed theft of K131.5million stolen at the Road Development Agency (RDA) in the province and had since questioned and will likely arrested an accountant at the department.

She adds that the Accountant at RDA, Ernest Chibuye has since been suspended from work after being questioned for allegedly paying K131.5million from the coffers of RDA to a company called Ertafa General Dealers without seeking authority from or knowledge of his superiors.

She further adds that her team is also pursuing cases of K1.6billion and K400million paid to a bogus company for projects whose works have never been undertaken and have never commenced.

The Provincial police Commissioner also states that the Taskforce is also investigating the purchase and installation of a set of traffic lights in Kasama, whose initial cost was estimated to be only K90million but the provincial administration spent over K750million on the project.

She also reveals that the other irregularity regarding the traffic lights was that the former Permanent Secretary and now Member of Parliament for Mbala Constituency, Mwalimu Simfukwe never referred the matter to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) as required by law since the threshold was above the provincial tender committee limit of K500million.

The Traffic Lights contract was awarded to a company called Cornerstone Construction.

And Northern province Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Mwamba has revealed that Cornerstone Construction Company has abandoned 7 government projects awarded to the company in Mbala, Kasama, Isoka and Luwingu.

He expressed concern that there were many companies that were dubiously awarded contracts for government works or projects in the province but acted fraudulently by abandoning works after being paid initial amounts or cash advances.

He encouraged the Taskforce to pursue all such matters.

Meanwhile, the Provincial TaskForce has summoned an ACC investigation officer based in Kasama on allegation that he bounced a K15million Barclays cheque.

Ms Chikwanda emphasised that her office will not discriminate or spare anyone but will allow the law to take its course.

Posted by Editor on January 3, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

34 Responses to EXPOSED: Plunder Of Public Funds UNEARTHED In N/PROVINCE

Janet C

January 3, 2012 at 1:31 pm

The problem with zambians is they don’t know how to steal. Corruption by govt officials exists in all countries including the UK, USA, etc. The only difference is that corruption is done ‘properly’ in developed ctries.

Awarding a contract to friends happens in developed countries – only difference is they actually do the work (even if it means at half the cost) but at least they ‘show’ something for the contract to cover their tracks. Manje ba Zambia ni viwone-lenji – they want to eat with both hands and not do the ‘work’ they were fraudulently contracted to do!

Cage them all!
GK

January 3, 2012 at 1:39 pm

Janet C, ni vipuba kabil. Poverty but I am happey at the way Sata is dealing with it. Shouldn’t just focus on high profile but from grass roots to the top. Several accountants will be jailed. I am now counting, 5 on the Cb are already in, 1 from Kabwe went in last week together with a lawyer, Mulungushi. I think those Kasama ones will too. The thing is we need to expand prisons. Kaili they thought we would never have a President like this. Thank God, you answered Zambia’s prayers.
Mayor

January 3, 2012 at 1:40 pm

“set of traffic lights in Kasama, whose initial cost was estimated to be only K90million but the provincial administration spent over K750million on the project” What was wrong here was the estimate and not the actual money spent. According to Henry Kapata (traffic watch over the festive period), a set of traffic lights costs over K700Million.
QUEST

January 3, 2012 at 1:45 pm

this is good news people seem to be working. let all provinces do the same and corner the the chaps involed. if it means to share the recovered cash to the zambian population let it be so. we all need to benefit from the Govt.
oNe.

January 3, 2012 at 1:54 pm

There we go,witch hunting or not,proof is there guys grab all you can from the thieves,afterall they stole so much that they nolonger had space to hide it.
onedice

January 3, 2012 at 2:15 pm

If that can be done through out the country am sure many will be shocked with the levels of corruption in the public institution.
I dare all provincial permanent secretaries to emulate what northern province PS is doing.
stan

January 3, 2012 at 2:21 pm

THERE THEY IS NO WITCH HUNTING. KABWALALA NI KABWALALA.CAGE THEM EKUTI BALESAMBILILA.UBUPUPU BUBI
mojo

January 3, 2012 at 2:32 pm

INVESTIGATE OUR BOSS Mr. BENARD MENGO SIAME AN ACCOUNTANT IN KASAMA. HE HAS BUILD A LODGE AND OTHER THINGS IN KASAMA. INSTEAD OF BEING LAID OFF, HE HAS BEN TRANSFERD TO LUAPULA. PF ND TASK FORCE CATCH THIS MAN.
Barbed Wire

January 3, 2012 at 2:41 pm

This kind of Vuvuzela way of doing things is not right. Do the investigations, establish strong caeses and prosecute. Most of these announcements are just political gymics as the cases will just go quiet living the masses wondering. Learn from the past mistakes ba PF. ZRA scarners is one example, there was no scandal in the procurement of the scaners, but in the engangement of Bradley to run the scarners. Please, don’t pick-up the smoke in place of the fire.
Jomie

January 3, 2012 at 2:51 pm

ni smokescreen fye to create some confidence in you that things are being ran properly when worse corruption will be happening.
Babygal

January 3, 2012 at 2:53 pm

We are tired of same storyz abt corruptn…..its high time da startd employn us with qualifctnz.. Those mess have already bin done, its high time we moved on.
mkshi boma

January 3, 2012 at 4:17 pm

Please Dr Solomon Jere do the same in central provice because some projects were abandoned. Good example is New Mkushi to Old Mkushi road. Lucy Changwe and Sydney chisanga know this story very well. Twatasha Lucy lost the election and Chisanga bull dosed using money to win. Another example are many primary schools built in the province are a harzard. More cash spent, but poor structures. Go for them Dr Jere. Also watch your few traffic officers in Mkushi they have taxis, bars and houses.
Chaps

January 3, 2012 at 4:40 pm

we wnt action pliz, these descoveries shud not die a natural death.
Madony

January 3, 2012 at 4:42 pm

Mamamama kashi zambia is a rich country mwee look at hw pipo pray around wit our tax payers money bwafya.
KASAMA BUSY

January 3, 2012 at 4:53 pm

@Mojo have you got the facts dont just say things blindly watch your month investment isnt stealing.Give me the facts Ba MOJO
Kolwestan

January 3, 2012 at 6:00 pm

The alternative way of saying this is; Ernest Chibuye is an MMD cadre and we will fix him. The round about way of saying it is what you can read in the story above.
Wanu Ngwee

January 3, 2012 at 6:17 pm

THIS WAS THE ROT CASCADING FROM THE ROTTEN HEAD OF THE BIGGEST FISH IN LUSAKA.

@ JANET C: HAPPY NEW YEAR YOU!
Sunta sunkutu

January 3, 2012 at 6:57 pm

Emmanuel, the only way u are going to shame those who were against yo appointment is to work 3 times as hard as yo fellow PSs. Now pliz secure convictions.What u are doing is excellent, it wil act as a deterent 4 future crooks and send shivers in the spines of those doing dubious projects. Mr. Milupi, u accused sata of not stretching the fight against graft to northern province and luapula in very tribalistic insinuations, i didnt expect this from u, especially that u know that nevers mumba and george kunda are some of high profile cases. This behaviour belongs solely to hakainde and u have no potion in this. U have a lot of lozi followers who wil start agreeing with yo nonses and wil start contributing silly things. The next thing pipo wil start calling lozis tribal all becoz of u. Stop this negative influence. Look at what hh has done to his tribe. Look at kolwestan’s comment to this positive news. Stop it milupi.
jeff

January 3, 2012 at 7:01 pm

The problem we have in zambia is that people talk of uneathing scams corruption goods reposed but when u add up this money u find that it can’t build a school and complete it u shld take time and add the figures and see
Takataka

January 3, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Gud move NP task forced. Extend to MoH, MoE, Councils & DC’s offices in districts of Northen and Muchinga provinces. There’s a lot of dirty things in these offices.
Bemba bull

January 3, 2012 at 9:05 pm

Job well done team. Pliz awake ur collegues in other provinces. We need that in southren province especially MoH. How could fail 2 finish a hospital in kalomo. Follow them.
Bwalya kapaipi

January 4, 2012 at 3:14 am

The Northern Province Water Affairs Department is one such Government wing that also requires to be seriously audited and investigated.The department also connived with some big thieves from the P.S office to steal public finances.
Wapya 2Jobz

January 4, 2012 at 10:26 am

I will only talk about Luwingu district. Mr Mwamba come and investigate our district you shud start with Health coz some times pantients could stay without food for 4days which is not good coz some are on strong drugs.with Education there about 3 unfinished schools (Menga, Chakungubala and Tolopa) why? so if you come in and investigate them we will what is going on. God help Zambia
popolingo

January 4, 2012 at 10:45 am

can somebody visist the debs offices in the ministry of education also, especiacially in lusaka and copperbelt and there accountants in the same ministries , please our monies are being stolen evenly day.
popolingo

January 4, 2012 at 11:04 am

home affairs minister ,please look at the issue of officers who graduited in 2003 , the so called the 36 number they did not get their passing out allowances where did the money went .
There is a problem with PF

January 4, 2012 at 12:34 pm

Mwamba is a known failure who protected FTJ and what he is doing is redeem himself by going after a clean educated Zambian leader Mwalimu Simfukwe.There is no way Mwamba can match up to Simfukwe both intellectually and profesionally.If PF knew how to govern, they should have attracted a person like Simfukwe instead of smearing him with corruption.Look into the Post newspapers and you will see how much Simfukwe put in during his short stint as PS. Mwamba you will never be PS material by insulting a clean professional like Simfukwe.
Muleka

January 4, 2012 at 12:42 pm

The exercise shld b don also at luapula provincial health office & mansa dstrict health office. Ther ar alot of nonse apening @ thz offices, let ths gvt tak tough action to civil servants involved. May God help zed
Chinbwi No Plan

January 4, 2012 at 1:17 pm

Its George Kund who assured them that MMD will be in power upto 2030 so it was like a troop of monkeys in maize field led by RB & sons. HEMCS & PF build more prisons pliz.
Chimbwi wa Plan

January 4, 2012 at 3:37 pm

And that new Provincial Agricultural Coordinator in Kasama…. awe sure mwandi! Was he promoted because his madam is PF provincial Chairwoman? The man has a tainted record during his time in Mpika as District Agricultural Coordinator and was tranfered to Mbala as a displinery measure. And now the ****** is the Provincial boss much to the disappointment of deserving dedicated officers.
kabebe

January 5, 2012 at 6:46 am

Good work. Extend investgations to Muchinga province. Bacilamo ukwiba ba pompwe.
Sakwiba

January 5, 2012 at 9:14 am

As the saying goes, send a thief to catch a thief. NP thieves will be caught by the former PRO to the tief. Bravo HE Sata and PS Mwamba. Other Provinces should follow suit.
Sansikizo

January 5, 2012 at 9:19 am

YEMWEE!VYAKULOLA VYE!
GANDA

January 5, 2012 at 10:34 am

Thumps up PF! there has been alot of plunder on the years by public servants its time to clean house. I hope government can follow up on the recent auction sales of vehicles through provincial offices. There were massive irregularities. There is too much corruption by senior officer. Way to go PF. Job well done and please continue the clean up just make sure these monies are taken back to govt coffers. That will be another way of putting more money in the pockect!
Isaiah Maleka

January 6, 2012 at 8:49 am

Comrades:Once bitten twice shy.We need to learn by mistakes and this must never be repeated.I think the President is doing a very good job in uprooting corruption.This will send a clear signal to those who are yet to receive tenders from Government.I also think that President Sata in his vision to create jobs,this could also help.Establish a monitoring agencies around Zambia who will monitor progress from all companies and individuals who received tenders from Government.Remember that this agencies to perform effectively,they shouldn’t be given tasks of the previous Government.A progress report has to be compiled and presented to Government every three months.Another body of inspectors must be established also which will be doing follow ups on the reports received from the agencies to be certain the tender given does not go to waste.If this people and companies know they are being monitored,I think they will up their sleeves.A penalty may be imposed on those taking the Government for grunted and never completed the work received from the state.Good luck Mr. President

Isaiah Maleka RSA