ACC OFFICER EXONERATES GBM FROM CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Lusaka, Thursday, December 1, 2022
An Investigations officer from the Anti Corruption Commission ACC ‘struggled’ to justify the arrest of former Minister of Defence Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, alias GBM, on conflict of interest charges.
This is when the matter in which Hon Mwamba is facing charges of conflict of interest and possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime came up for Continuation of trial yesterday.
Masautso Mwale, 38, told the court that the Joint Investigative Team where he had been attached was in receipt of alleged abuse of Office and Conflict of interest against GBM, in the manner he allegedly facilitated for the awards of various Government contracts to Curzon Global Limited Hong Kong, a company he is alleged to had interest but failed to declare it.
But when asked by Defence Lawyers during cross examination who raised the complaint, the ACC investigations Officer said he does not know who the complainant was both in the Abuse of Authority and Conflict of Interests Charges before arresting him.
Mwale also said he is aware that the ACC had investigated GBM before on a similar Complaint but did not know if the matter was concluded.
Mwale said investigations continued and intended recipients of the supplies from Curzon Global Limited were visited.
It was established that Curzon Global Hong Kong Limited was awarded three contracts to supply goods to the Zambia Air Force and five contracts to Supply different items to the Zambia Army.
The ACC Investigations Officer however conceded that Article 28 sub section 2 of the ACC Act being relied on relates to the members of the Procurement committee and does not cover everyone in Government.
After being asked if Mr Mwamba was a member of the Procurement Committee, he responded in the negative.
And when asked where the conflict of interest was if GBM was not part of the ministerial procurement committee awarding the contracts, Mwale responded that there was no conflict of interest.
Mwale further failed to aduce evidence before the courts to show that GBM influenced the awarding of the contracts.
He however agreed that payment was done to Curzon Global Limited by the Zambian Government for the goods delivered.
And when asked to show the court documents that Government was not happy with the contract, he denied that he did not have.
The Matter has since been adjourned to 1st of February, 2023 for continued trial.