The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently arrested and charged Wilfred Serenje, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) for Abuse of Authority of Office contrary to section 99(1) of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia. It is alleged that that between 1st January 2008 and 31st November 2011, Mr. Serenje abused the authority of his office by allowing his personal motor vehicle to draw fuel and lubricants from the REA account. Mr. Serenje’s contract with the REA was terminated on 9th November 2012 after the ACC instituted investigations into his conduct.
The ACC has also arrested a Local Court Clerk in Kitwe for Corrupt Practices involving K200.00 Ms. Barbra Chansa 34, of house number 7 Wusakile Township, in Kitwe was arrested and charged with one count of corrupt practices contrary to Section 19(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act Number 38 of 2010. Details are that between 1st September, 2013 and 23rd September, 2013, Ms.Barbra Chansa as a Court Clerk with the Judiciary Department corruptly solicited for and actually received K200.00 cash gratification from Peter Ngalandi as an inducement or reward for herself to facilitate for a favorable Judgment in a local Court case between Peter Ngalandi and Mr. Silavwe at Wusakile Local Court.
The ACC has confirmed that it has opened investigations into the US$210 million Digital Migration tender procedure in which Western Province permanent secretary Amos Malupenga is heavily implicated following his two years at the Ministry of Information. Mr Malupenga is a former journalist who worked at The Post Newspaper before joining the Sata led government.
A lot of cases for the ACC and great progress being made in investigation. But prosecution remains poor. This week we learnt that Liato's case had collapsed and now he was being hunted over a different allegedly crime. After huge sums of money has been wasted in prosecuting him, State prosecutors decided to climb down. It is vital that Government puts in place stronger prosecution arrangements otherwise the detection process will be a pure social cost! There's no point in the ACC, police and the public working hard to catch criminals if we cannot convict people. The DPP's office is need of a serious broom!
AUTHOR
Chola Mukanga | Economist
Copyright © Zambian Economist 2013
