FORMER HIGHER EDUCATION PS NABBED IN ALLEGED MULTIMILLION DOLLAR GRAFT
By Darius Choonya
The Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) has arrested former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Higher Education Mr Owen Mugemenzulu for corrupt practices involving over $33million.
According to a statement released by ACC Spokesperson Queen Chibwe, Mr Mugemezulu aged 52, of Lusaka has been arrested and charged with one count of wilful failure to comply with applicable law and procedure relating to procurement contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
Mrs. Chibwe says the arrest is in connection with a contract he is alleged to have signed in 2017 with a construction company called China Energy Engineering Group–Hunan Power Design Institute Co. Ltd worth Two Hundred and Twenty Five Million United States Dollars (US$225,000,000.00) for the design and building of the FTJ Chiluba University in Mansa and Kasama under the Ministry of Higher Education.
She adds the commission established that Mr Mugemezulu signed the contract without following tender procedures and without subjecting the said contract to Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) for approval.
The latter has since been detained in Police custody and is expected to appear before court on Friday 29th April 2022.
