HEARTLANDS BEST LTD ACCOUNTANT ARRESTED FOR STEALING K13,088,668.50
….wife and three relatives arrested for being conduits and recipients of the same funds.
The Livingstone District Anti-fraud and Financial Crimes unit received a report from ZAM HARVEST ONE LTD trading as HEARTLANDS BEST who reported that between the month of November, 2021 and October, 2024, thirteen million and eighty-eight thousand six hundred- and sixty-eight-kwacha fifty ngwee (K13, 088,668.50) was stolen from the company by Weston Simwambwa Matubulani aged 38 years of unknown house number Highland’s township Livingstone, who is the company accountant.
Investigations revealed that the accountant falsified financial transactions in the company’s serge integrated system purporting to show that two of heartlands best customers trading in chicken and meat products were supplied with different quantities of meat and chicken products. After supplying the products, the accountant then provided different personal account numbers to the supplied companies where the payments were channeled.
Part of the stolen money was later diverted to Bank accounts and mobile money accounts of his close relatives as well other identified mobile money agents.
Further, it was established that in the transaction chain, the suspect accessed funds which he used to purchase different assets in form of motor vehicles, houses, cattle and a farm either in his name or names of relatives.
The following are the properties seized for being proceeds of crime.
1. Ford ranger Raptor, Registration number AJF 8411 valued at K2,300,000
2. Ford Ranger Raptor, Registration number BLA 2284 valued at K400,000
3. Toyota Camry, registration number AJF 1152 valued at 140,000
4. Toyota Wish, Registration number AJF 2332 valued at K120,000
5. Toyota Wish, Registration Number AJF 6801 valued at K120,000
6. 170 hectares of land on Farm number 399 located at Luyala village in Kalomo valued at K1,020,000
7. Residential property number KSS 56, Sha compound in Choma Valued at K165,000
8. Residential property number R156, Highlands township Livingstone valued at K1,200,000
9. Residential Property number LIV/2331 Nottie Broadie Livingstone valued at K150,000
10. Residential property number LIV/6708, Highlands township Livingstone valued at K80,000
11. 39 herds of cattle all valued at K390,000
The estimated Total value of seized property is K6, 085,000
Arising from these investigations, the following have been arrested;
1. F/Doreen Nzoolo aged 37 years of house number R156 off Lusaka Road Livingstone (wife to Weston S Matubulani the accountant) who received some stolen money through her Access Bank account from the husband and also bought some property which is jointly owned with her husband. she has been charged with the offence of receiving stolen property C/S 318 of the Penal Code Cap 87 and Possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime C/S 71(1) of the forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act No 19 of 2010
2. Winford Simwambwa Matubulani aged 40 years of V/Luyala C/Sipatunyana D/Kalomo who received K800,000 through his Indo Bank account and has been charged with the offence of Receiving stolen property C/S 318 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia.
3. Rachael Simwambwa Matubulani aged 49 years of House number 53 Manchinda Compound Choma, a bar lady who was discovered to own residential property number KSS/63 (CHO2458) valued at K165,000. she received the said cash money from his brother Weston Simwambwa through a mobile money agent and has been arrested for the offence of money laundering C/S 3b(i)(iii) of the Prohibition of money Laundering Act No 44 of 2010.
4. Mervis Simwambwa Matubulani aged 36 years of house number 1343 Mcraymond Compound Kalomo, received K143,000 cash from his brother Weston S Matubulani, through her mobile money account from the main suspect in the matter and she was charged with the offence of receiving stolen property C/S 318 (1) of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws
The main suspect Weston S Matubulani is yet to be charged for various offences ranging from Fraudulent false Accounting, Theft by servant and Money laundering and is in Police custody.
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