ACC, DEC MOVE ON MOF SAGA…we are all victims,complainants – Moyo
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
THE ACC and DEC have selective teeth to bite fast on some cases but in slow motion on others, says Joseph Moyo.
Moyo, a who worked at Special Investigations Team on Economy and Trade (SITET) under the UNIP administration, said stolen money at the MoF belongs “to that woman going into labour to find acceptable facilities safe to bring another life on earth”.
“We are all complainants because it’s our money. We are victims. We ask for no double standards. We ask for no deliberate toothlessness and selective biting,” he said.
The ACC, recently, informed The Mast of
ongoing investigations into financial scandal at the Ministry of Finance.
“Yes, investigations are ongoing
into this Ministry of Finance matter. But that is what I can say for now. I cannot go further other than to confirm that we are still investigating this matter,” said Anti-Corruption Commission director general Tom
Shamakamba.
New information emerged that more than K1 billion has been looted at the Ministry of Finance between 2019 and 2022, double
what the investigation last established.
On January 7, 2023, The Mast published a story in which new information had emerged which revealed that about K533 million
was looted from the Ministry of Finance and not K100 million as earlier reported by the same newspaper in August 2022.
On August 24, 2022, The Mast published a story where a Transparency International Zambia investigation revealed that a cartel at Ministry of Finance (MoF) siphoned money amounting to K100 million between 2019 and
2021 using fictitious events to draw allowances.
Corroborated evidence and information from whistleblowers within the ministry showed various names of officers in the Ministry of Finance.
At the time, names were withheld of people who had seemingly engaged in an intricate network of fictitious and organised activities.
According to the evidence, this loot seemed to be spreading tentacles to strategic ministries,
commissions, and agencies.
The sources explained that once funds were obtained from MoF’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) loans and investments – aspecial account that is dedicated to the
Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ’s) repayment of loans including the Eurobond and financing of investments, the funds were transferred to the respective individuals’ bank accounts through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system.
Once this money was pulled into these peoples’ accounts it was then laundered into BoZ treasury bills through deposit accounts in order to conceal its nature and origin.
“More than K1billion was looted from the Ministry of Finance between 2019 to date. The K533 million which the ACC has compiled only relates to seven senior staff,” a source said. “For the recoveries that MoF instituted, that was a stunt meant to hoodwink the public and investigators. Actually, more than 200 civil servants were receiving fictitious allowances and fuel drawn without travelling. This is where most of this accumulated
total is coming from. The recoveries that MoF are doing only relate to selected junior staff.”
Commenting on the matter, Moyo, who The African Woman Foundation (TAWF) president, said there must never be blind spots for law enforcement agencies in the fight against corruption.
“The reported suspected K1 billion looting at the Ministry of Finance is a very sad development if proven to be true. Not only a sad development but a serious breach of trust by those tasked to keep and disburse our money. The most concerning aspect is the cold reception this case has received from law enforcement agencies,” he said. “Remember when UPND formed government, law enforcement agencies confessed that under the PF they had no teeth to bite? At that time we asked as to who had disabled their ability to bite? Should we conclude that now the ACC and DEC have no teeth potency? Or do they have selective teeth? Are they only able to bite veggies, and meat only when convenient? If those slow motion moves against this reported abuse is true then that’s a problem and they will be staining and betraying President Hakainde Hichilema.” Moyo said there has been some zeal exhibited by the ACC and DEC when dealing with some politically exposed persons “where even journalists have been invited to witness raids on some properties even before concluding investigations”.
“The question is what is the difference with Ministry of Finance saga?” Moyo asked.
He said the Ministry of Finance is the custodian of Zambians’ money and “anyone who helps themselves to that money beyond normal remuneration is robbing all Zambians”.
Moyo, a former Special Investigations Team on Economy and Trade (SITET) member under the UNIP administration which was later changed to DEC, said stolen money at the MoF belongs “to that woman going into labour to find acceptable facilities safe to bring another life on earth”.
“It belongs to that girl child who aspires for a better future. It belongs to a poor farmer who needs help. It belongs to me as a patient to fund medical infrastructure, medicines, equipment and specialists for me to have a chance to live. This is the context this reported theft should be looked at. It should be looked at from the angle of us, we, the Zambian people. It’s the highest betrayal when those tasked to be guardians of the national purse on behalf of Zambians deep into it to help themselves,” said Moyo. “It is against this background we must question the suspected double standards by law enforcement agencies in dealing with such matters with national implications affecting every Zambian born thus far and those not born because that money is their inheritance. It is there savings.
We need functional hospitals. This will never be as long as we have others selfishly doing self-help using national resources. We have seen government remove life cushioning subsidies in fertiliser, fuel and energy. These savings were not done to free money for selfish individuals. That becomes a mockery. We are all complainants because it’s our money. We are victims. We ask for no double standards. We ask for no deliberate toothlessness and selective biting.
