Lungu gave Malanji presidential jet for Turkey trips – Mukelabai
FORMER president Edgar Lungu released the presidential jet to his foreign affairs minister, Joe Malanji after sanctioning his errand trips to Morocco and Turkey in 2020 and 2021.
This is according to Kawaleyela Mukelabai,a senior sssistant commissioner under the anti-money laundering unit of Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
Testifying against Malanji in the Economic and Financial Crimes Court yesterday, Mukelabai said he solved the puzzle of the former minster’s trips with the help of letters that came from the Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Simon Miti.
The letters were addressed to ministry of foreign affairs Permanent Secretary, Dr Ronald Simwinga.
In his testimony before principal resident magistrate Irene Wishimanga, Mukelabai explained that according to the letters, Lungu authorized Malanji to travel to Morocco and Turkey as a special envoy of the President.
“At the time I was interviewing Dr. Simwinga, he was able to provide the copies of the letters which had come from the secretary to the cabinet, Simon Miti then which letters had given authoritlsation by the President then Mr. Lungu authoring Mr. Malanji to go to Turkey and Morocco as a special envoy of the President,” Mukelabai said.
“I could not find the originals. I however, managed to go to state house where I was given a file copy because that is where they were generated from.”
He said the reasons for arresting Fredson Yamba who is the former secretary to the treasury and Malanji was that, he noticed that the procurement and renovation of chanceries in 28 Zambian missions abroad using borrowed funds, was orchestrated by State House.
“This whole case started from the letter generated from State House by Hibeene Mwiinga, special assistant to the president then, the next I saw in my investigation the effort of acquiring a loan from Turkey to purchase a chancery and staff houses,” Mukelabai narrated.
He said the ministry of finance had indicated that, the loan would be costly to government and guided that the procurement of properties, could be budgeted for under staggered payments.
“To me, it was an indication that government had no money to service that loan and that’s why it could only afford budgeting for the properties using staggered budget,” Mukelabai said.
“I noticed, the secretary to the treasury Mr Yamba after receiving pressure from Mr. Malanji, organised K108 million, which was quoted as personal emoluments for oversees allowances for employees.”
Mukelabai said the money was sent to the ministry of foreign affairs but the controlling officer Dr Simwinga rejected the illegal instruction, by reversing the funding back to MoF and and the money was later sent to Turkey by Yamba.
“Mr. Malanji had written a letter to stannic bank on October 15, 2020; that he would be depositing dollars in the Stanbic account in future,” he said.
“Clearly the case theory shows that it was a predetermined arrangement. The issues to procure the properties in turkey were not in picture at that time, the money was being organized from the Treasury.”
He said Malanji had personally travelled to Turkey and diverted the money which he came back with to Zambia and begun depositing dollars in his company account for Gibson Power Systems for 14 days, and later used the money to buy two helicopters.
“That is the theory of the case and evidence showing the activities. A similar incidence is demonstrated from the aftermath of the Morocco trip, he leaves on October 22, 2020 and comes back on October 25, 2020, and the following day he begins to deposit K2 million everyday, for the next five days.” He said.
“There was no trace of the money having been generated from the businesses apart from the activities in Turkey and Morocco as per my investigation.”
Mukelabai said the Public Procurement Act no. 12 of 2008 is clear regarding international procurement, as Authority is supposed to be sought from the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), but the same was not done.
Mukelabai narrated that, The Public Finance Management Act no 1 of 2018, stipulates that the secretary to the treasury is the chief controlling officer, who has power to appoint controling officers to spearhead the heads for expenses in ministries as appropriated by Parliament.
“Section 22 of the Public Finance Management Act is clear, as it states that release of the funds from control 99 ( Treasury single account) can only be done by the secretary to the treasury, by following what the constitution and the Act provides,” he said.
“It was clear in the audit that activities surrounding the US$7,132, 000 and how it was utilized, everything was irregularly done.”
Mukelabai said the information on the invoice for the purchase of a chancery is incorrect is because; “according to interactions I had with the owner of the building, he said he sold it at US$1,150, 000 and the actual amount that went to his bank account from Burhan Asaf Shafak was $1,127, 308. The owner said, out of that money US$22, 691.66 was paid for taxes.”
He said reason he indicated that the invoice had been prepared to justify a position which was not in tandem with the findings of the investigation, was that 9,700,000TL was the cost of the three floors for the chancery.
Mukelabai said he made up his mind to charge the duo for the subject offenses.
“I am convinced that the evidence I have gathered for the charges is sufficient to be placed on your record to help me prove my case,”said Mukelabai who is still on stand.
Yamba and his co-accused Malanji are accused of failing to adhere to guidelines relating to the management of public resources and possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Yamba is alleged to have abrogated the law relating to the management of public property when he approved the transfer of K154,201,197 for the purchase of a chancery in Turkey.
Malanji is accused of possessing two helicopters BELL430 and a BELL 206 Jet Ranger helicopter suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Trial continues today.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba August 29, 2024.
