Wynter corruption probe halted

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:02:24 +0000

Corruption investigations against Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba, who allegedly obtained a kick back in the US$500 million Trafigura oil deal, have stopped and the case files have been handed back to the ACC Director-General Rosewin Wandi. 

This follows threats by the President against the organization.

Sources at the ACC offices said many other investigations involving Mr. Kabimba including the manner in which his company WM Kabimba and Company, a law firm,  was awarded a contract to represent the National Pension Scheme Authority have also been dropped.

Recently his company was at the forefront demanding the recovery of K90 million allegedly owed by the opposition MMD.

“My friend it is a non starter.  We are not receiving any support from President Sata on this matter.  Actually there are instructions not to proceed with this matter because the investigations will embarrass the government and his cabinet.  Madam Wandi is aware about that and we don’t know why she is still quiet on the matter. She can’t inform the nation because the time she does that she is gone.”

According to the officers at the ACC investigating Mr. Kabimba had become dangerous because he enjoyed the support of the President.  Already, they said, the officers who had been investigating Mr. Kabimba were threatened with dismissals, demotions and transfers if they pushed for the investigation further, “As a result they have now abandoned the investigations and have indicated their concerns to the Director General.”

The officers also revealed that a team of PF cadres were being trained for infiltration into the ACC an act which will further compromise the system.

The officials said that they were concerned about other corruption related complaints involving the PF ministers and party officials, citing the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) procurement and delivery of the computerized system where directors at the agency were colluding with some named PF officials to offer a tender to a foreign firm that was incompetent.

The officials said it was sad that even the investigations in the procurement and delivery of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) had been affected because some ministers had also been mentioned.

“We cannot proceed with these investigations because almost on all matters we are investigating these PF ministers and officials are mentioned , it would mean that we seek permission from President Sata, but that will take us years before we commence. And obviously even the exhibits will be tampered with,” they said.

President Sata’s action has been widely condemned by the Church, the Civil Society Organizations, Opposition political parties and the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ).

President Sata last week blasted the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for what he called embarrassing investigations against his government, adding that ACC should have firstly sought permission from him before any commencement of the corruption investigations against his ministers.

President Sata also said that he would not suspend any of the ministers accused of corruption until they were found guilty of involving themselves into corrupt conduct.