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Rupiah Turns Down ACC Probe
FORMER President Rupiah Banda yesterday openly defied a Government Joint Investigations Team demand to be interviewed over allegations of corruption and other criminal activities.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) summoned Mr Banda to appear before the investigations team at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices today.
Mr Banda’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota said in an interview yesterday that the former President will not appear before the probe team because he does not want to be subjected to a ‘media trial’.
Mr Sikota, who avoided discussing whether the corruption allegations against his client had merit or not, concentrated on attacking ACC director general Rosewin Wandi.
“We want to know how that letter got into your hands,” Mr Sikota asked the Daily Mail. “How did confidential correspondence end up with the media?”
“It is not fair to engage a public trial on our client. It is unconstitutional,” Mr Sikota said.
Ms Wandi confirmed receipt of Mr Banda’s letter but declined to comment beyond the confirmation.
She referred all queries to the public relations wing of the Government Joint Investigations Team.
Mr Sikota said the ACC should get to the bottom of the matter by revealing who leaked the letter.
He said the decision by Mr Banda not to attend the interviews will only be assessed once ACC reveals the source of the leakage.
But Government has advised the former President to clear his name of corrupt allegations by availing himself before the Government Joint Investigations Team for interviews.
Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said in a statement issued yesterday that Mr Banda should “seriously consider attending interviews to clear the air as there is nothing unconstitutional about the summons”.
“Let Mr Banda answer the corruption allegations because there is nothing illegal that law enforcement agencies have done,” he said.
Mr Sakeni, who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said it should be understood that Mr Banda is immune to prosecution and not to investigations.
The minister said politicians and other interest groups should desist from misrepresenting facts on the summoning of Mr Banda.
He said attacking President Sata will not take away the allegations that Mr Banda is facing.
“Government would like to advise all those who want to play national politics to learn to be honest. Misrepresenting facts will not take them anywhere,” he said.
On Tuesday, MMD president Nevers Mumba claimed ACC’s decision to interview Mr Banda was a breach of the Constitution.
Posted by
Nicola
February 7, 2013 at 9:31 am
mr Banda just go and answer for your self if you are clean.
Wanu Ngwee
February 8, 2013 at 10:58 pm
Hi Nicola, most governments make the traditional mistake of interpreting legal matters politically. Am not a lawyer, but I think Mr Sakeni may not be right to suggest that presidential immunity does not protect the immuned from interrogation. My layman’s understanding is that these interrogations or interviews are just an initial stage of a long PROSECUTION!
tupac
February 7, 2013 at 10:06 am
he cant koz he knwz dat he is guilt.anyway tym iz kamin wen hiz kod immufackn thn ill b lifted.he is asshole n a dick.
Me
February 7, 2013 at 10:41 am
He has the immunity you pf morons,why are you being misled by mmembe??
bee
February 8, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Well said!!!!
Kolobingo
February 7, 2013 at 10:45 am
Sorry Ba Lupiya Just go and prove yourself innocent.
Esm
February 7, 2013 at 10:54 am
wait and see
Mantosh
February 7, 2013 at 10:55 am
Pipo of Zambia,does it mean that all the former presidents will be found to be corrupt? By the way ,do you kno that we are painting our leaders and this nation with a very negative picture to the entire world?Next it will be Sata and the rest!!!!
SANGO
February 7, 2013 at 11:14 am
The truth shall set u free Banda
Just tell them what u know. Don’t
Listern to Sikota he is just after
Your money. Think big Ruphia
Mkl
February 7, 2013 at 11:20 am
Lets concentrate on development and fulfilling the promises bane,this issue is a
Waste of time and besides what is the objective? If have overwhelming evidence
just apply zamtel formula ,reposes that which is not his.we are in a hurry to receive
Our promise.we are feed up of monkey tricks rb is gone forget about the man
Wanyafye Tigers
February 7, 2013 at 11:58 am
We shall erect your momumment at ACC offices! Just go.
NB
February 7, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Then it means its good to be corrupt because once you are out of power, it will be a share waste of time to talk about you. Let justice prevail. If he is so innocent, let him go and answer the investigations and prove himself clean. There is nothing wrong with that. Why mulemuntinilako, walelya bonse?
Uwakwamununga
February 7, 2013 at 12:24 pm
THE SEASON OF ANSWERING HAS COME.
HATE HIM - I ADORE HIM
February 7, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Why I, and everyone from my chiefdom will always campaign for MCS as long as he lives!
Besides the late Anderson Mazoka and HH the ‘plunderer’, he is the only one who has sought the presidency from an up market house and office of his own, at Farmers house.
The rest WERE kabonyas, who either lived in rented houses or operated from their houses or had nothing at all! He is my model….
Please Challenge me…
sabi
February 7, 2013 at 12:31 pm
@It is good to find faults, and the system should extend even to those to come in power, so sata should expect not to rest onces we kick him out. The bible says do unto others as you expect them to do unto you. We shall haunt all the parties coming out of the hotel.
sabi
February 7, 2013 at 12:48 pm
@ Sata the president, Mr President youa are a good leader, you are ruling using the ten commandments, I have never come across a president who follows ten commandments like you, I know Sir you are already in heaven, God is with you all the time, u are already served, I am sure even going to church is meaningless, cos you are already holy.
You are a good leader.
God given President, no matter what, heaven is yours.
bn
February 7, 2013 at 11:53 pm
u are totally wrong.u dont declare that he is holy.pliz,lets find words to write
TimZ
February 7, 2013 at 12:56 pm
I equally feel it is a share waste of time. Good example is late Chiluba wat benefit did we zambians get frm his investigations? Let government have somethng serious to do than wastng time on RB. Government is busy creatng new ministries & Districts it can not even develop. How far has ACC gone with Kabimba’s allegations? I am a PF die hard but honestly direction is lost. Lets not use dreams to run dis country but use reality.
bn
February 7, 2013 at 11:54 pm
u are correct man.u are a type of people we want.people who admit when they are wrong
Village Chicken
February 7, 2013 at 1:09 pm
All this is happening after we have demanded to know where Sata went after Addis trip. He returns aboard a BA plane and all we are told is he has returned. So to avoid answering ‘from where’ ( Addis meeting had disolved itself long time earlier), harrasing RB is PF’ option to DIVERT attn.
Remember the nation was asked to pray for LPM when it was too late!! Sata needs prayers…
RUPIAH BANDA
February 7, 2013 at 1:12 pm
I second Mantosh,u PF just leave me alone you are just painting a wrong picture to the world.
rupiah banda
February 7, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Yaaba kuti bakutapo aba ba fi kaalaaa. Plse am ready to trade in my wife Tandiwe. Plse bena Kabimba start dressing dowm
SEKA UPONOKE
February 7, 2013 at 1:47 pm
You idiots who are supporting RB,bafikala,you want evry idiot who steals from the Zambians is let loose on pretext of dainting the image of the nation.KAWALALA NI KAWALA wether President or KAPONYA.Please dont be used let him go and clear his name matole yako.He is rich toady that bugger was drinking ka chasu in Chipata with villagers from the farms.Let him go and answer atase fimano ububi,you want everyone to steal and say No leave him.Stupid u better release all those in prison and all those appearing before courts of Law.very dissapointed,period.Its not the first time FTJ did the same.Where is Henry idiots
Sikufele
February 7, 2013 at 2:44 pm
When corruption charges were laid on the late former President Chiluba, Parliament was co-opted to have his immunity waived. I recall vividly that demonstrations by the UNZA students then even ensued. Eventually, Mr Chiluba’s immunity was waived and following that, he started appearing for investigations and later in courts. A precedence was thus set and legally a standard was set by and through that case. My question is: Why the hurry by the PF Government to find a case in Mr Banda without doing what the Mwanawasa Administration did, which is also internationally recognised?
Kalok
February 7, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Poor delivery; road accidents due to poor infrastructure coupled with indisciplined drivers; smelly neighborhoods due to uncollected garbage; preventable disease; add to this thieving leaders who hide behind immunity. What a mess of a society. Toothless security and legislation wings. Why not push to strip his immunity like you did before?
KING GEORGE
February 7, 2013 at 6:04 pm
Ba Fikala ba PF, respect yourselves with your CNP. You have run out of ideas. What law does Sakeni know. Tell him to stop being a DOG, he is barking any how.
Delivery don’t follow people by breaking the law IDIOTS.
PF know they don’t have numbers to remove Banda immunity. It will not happen you quacks.
Village Chicken
February 7, 2013 at 9:28 pm
@Sikufele, the reason is Sata is ILL and they are in a hurry to attempt to hide it. But how can you hide a sick person, we need to pray for our president!!!
petauke
February 7, 2013 at 9:52 pm
There is no need to fear to go and be asked questions at an office of the government infact the PF are seting good standards,we are in the right track, PF keep it up infact we should reach a stage were the President in office can also be summoned if there is something wrong in a more Professional manner like the ACC has done after 42 years of independance,Our Zambian law is very clear that nobody is above the law and RB could do much if he appeared to ACC because it will earn him more credity because these are the things he was teaching in the Unvisersities HE WAS TEACHING abroad, which has earned him as a good president who handed power democratically in Africa.The problem we want to politicies every thing to make the young men and women who want to work difficult,IF today RB be is questioned we will be moving forward
Henrique
February 7, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Mr Sakeni doesn’t get it, even when he has been given the middle finger. Very dull chap!!
Kamlumbilo Wamusaku
February 8, 2013 at 4:30 am
START WITH KABIMBA
naphtali
February 8, 2013 at 6:35 am
Lead by example ba ACC,where is your independence?You have dropped the ball twice,on winter and GBM.Be seroius with your work
Sm
February 8, 2013 at 11:41 am
We are not against the probe of the former head of state RB,but we are against the rout taken by PF to use shortcuts rather than following what the constitution says.let them follow the right procedure by lifting his immunit first.