ACC OFFICERS TO BOYCOTT WYNTER

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:08:30 +0000

Officers at the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) have threatened to boycott future interrogations against Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba for fear of being harassed and intimidated.
Officials have complained that there was too much intimidation and harassment from Mr. Kabimba mainly targeted at those who were expected to carry out the corruption investigations against him.
“We interviewed the Minister of Defence Mr. Geoffrey Mwamba and there was no such fracas” they said.
The officers  told the Daily Nation yesterday that it had apparently become life threatening to investigate and interrogate Mr. Kabimba on the corruption allegations that he received kickbacks from Trafigura for influencing the US$500 million oil rich deal.
The officers said that it was surprising that Mr. Kabimba behaved in the manner he did when he had already been informed that there was no need of him being escorted by a horde of PF party cadres.
They revealed that most officers were contemplating on boycotting interviewing him as such undertaking was becoming political and they fear for their jobs as they were intimidated by the huge crowd of PF cadres.
“We had a meeting just after he left and most of our officers have already indicated to the Director General (Rosewin Wandi) and his deputy their desire not to be part of the team investigating Mr. Kabimba.
This man is arrogant and he doesn’t recognize and respect the appointing authority. This man is very powerful because we could see the acting DG Irene Lamba was intimidated in his presence and the way he behaved. He did not have respect for anyone including the appointing authority,” said the officials.
The officials said that it was now clear that Mr. Kabimba would not accept the findings of the commission, adding that the letters he’s been writing to the institution declaring his commitment was fake and aimed to fool Zambians as if he was committed to justice.
The officers complained that Mr. Kabimba belittled the appointing authority by coming to ACC offices with cadres when he clearly knew the procedure under which he was being investigated.
They said it was surprisingly that Mr. Kabimba promised ACC staff of more problems when he’s summoned again to appear on fresh arrangements for interrogations.
Mr. Kabimba on Monday led a group of thugs to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) offices where he was expected to undergo interrogations over the kickbacks he is alleged to have received from an oil company for influencing the process.
And the officers have also revealed that Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) who was interrogated on Monday, had exhibited high level of leadership and commitment to the investigations.
The officers told the Daily Nation that they were comfortable and appreciated Mr. Mwamba who had earlier been summoned for interrogations and that he was not a threat to the ongoing investigations.
“In the morning we had Mr. Mwamba for the same interviews and he came on his own. Without lawyers, cadres and sympathizers. He behaved in a mature manner. He responded to all issues we wanted to know about his companies. He gave us all we wanted to know. The interrogations with Mr. Mwamba lasted for close to 2 hours and we could see that he was committed for the truth to come out,” they said.
When contacted for a comment Mr. Mwamba confirmed having attended interrogations at the ACC but could not reveal anything to the press as the matter was still under investigations.
But officials at the ACC told the Daily Nation that the investigations were about the allegations of his involvement in the Zesco pole contract which had since been halted.
The sources said that Mr. Mwamba briefed the investigators that he was no longer running any of his firms “because they are all being run and managed by his wife and children.”
They said that Mr. Mwamba informed them that Arizona, one of the companies run by his wife had participated in the tender just like any other company for the contract but that more information could be gotten from the company directors and not him because he was not active in the running of the companies.