ACC SHAME
THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is clearly beyond redemption in its present form and needs to undergo radical changes to win back public confidence.
It is an open secret that the ACC despite being an important wing in the country’s governance system has failed to live up to people’s expectations.
And the latest disclosures relating to the botched prosecution of the former Minister of Health, Dr Chitalu Chilufya must be the final straw.
We therefore agree with the seasoned State Counsel, MrChifumu Banda that the bad indictment imposed on Dr Chilufya by the ACC is shameful because it erodes the public confidence in the Commission.
For according to a leaked audio recording of a highly classified meeting at the ACC, the fall of the Minister of Health was orchestrated and masterminded by the Commission which decided to arrest and prosecute him even though there was no evidence against him.
In the audio, which appears to have been recorded during a meeting to review the case of the then minister, it is apparent that the officers did not have any evidence to take to court but were being forced to do so.
This was a meeting leading to the arrest and prosecution of Dr Chilufya, whose case in court fell apart after ACC failed to show that his properties were proceeds of crime.
In a damning indictment of the former ACC acting Director-General, Ms Rosemary Khuzwayo, she could be heard pressing for the prosecution of Dr Chilufya even after being reminded there was no evidence that could lead to a successful conviction.
In the leaked audio, Ms Khuzwayo was exposed directing investigators to arrest Dr. Chilufya without evidence, due to public outcry.
One officer could be heard saying the issue they were struggling with was that the investigations team did what it could do, but the evidence was just not sufficient to proceed with an arrest or to go to court.
As is public knowledge, the case against Dr Chilufya was an embarrassment to the ACC when one of its officers contradicted himself, in court, that the former minister had lawful means to earn what he had acquired.
Yes, the public has always demanded for professionalism in the country’s investigative wings in the fight against corruption.
But Zambians never asked that prosecution be based on false evidence and as Mr Banda noted, revelations that ACC prosecutes citizens even in the absence of evidence due to public outcry, makes sad reading.
We hope that with the new dawn government’s strong stance against corruption, the ACC will not try to impress with malicious prosecutions without carrying out thorough investigations.
They should not try to impress the new administration with hurried investigations just to score political points.
The ACC should never allow itself to operate on the whims of the political establishment which could exert pressure to impress the public.
We expect the ACC and other investigative wings to be professional in their operations. It is the only way to win back the public confidence now at its lowest ebb.
