GOVT, ACC HIT WALL OVER PRESIDENTIAL JET
…as Israel supplier says no corruption or bribes were made in the purchase of the plane
By Correspondent reporter
The suppliers of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet to Zambia Elbit Systems of Israel has refuted claims by the United Party for National Development (UPND) government of corruption in its dealings over the plane.
According to a statement, Elbit Systems one of Israel’s top arms companies, has refuted reports of corruption and bribery in the procurement of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet by the Zambian Government.
In response to government and the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) request for information relating to the purchase of the controversial Gulfstream G650 Presidential jet, Elbit Systems said that it “does not correspond to reality, to say the least.
Elbit stated that its compliance systems will not lend its hand to corruption and bribery, directly or even indirectly.
”Elbit has a compliance and enforcement system on the subject, which meets the highest criteria, and will not lend its hand to corruption and bribery, not even indirectly.”
It added: “To the best of our knowledge, the integrity of the interaction was examined by the Zambian authorities and no fault was found in the conduct of Elbit and no blame was placed on Elbit.”
It said, “With the publication of the news about allegedly improper procedures in Zambia, we launched a comprehensive investigation while monitoring the foreign publications and the parties involved in the publication.”
Last month, the Anti-Corruption Commission arrested some former officials in the PF administration including former Defence Permanent Secretary Stardy Mwale on allegations of corruption in deals worth over $500 million with Israeli defence contractor, Elbit in relation to the procurement of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet.
In its statement, ACC, said that as the chairman of the ministry’s procurement committee, Mwale failed to comply with proper procedure before charging him with fraud and other violations regarding three contracts with Elbit Systems “for goods and services not supplied in full”.
The other three are former senior Defence Ministry officials, include the former chief accountant who was also arrested.
Purchased in 2019 by President Edgar Lungu’s administration, the presidential jet was outfitted with an anti-missile defence system known as Elbit J-Music, which the UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema claim was bought at an inflated price of over USD400 Million.
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