FINDLAY’S HOME RAIDED
By NATION REPORTER
A JOINT investigative team of security wings yesterday conducted a search at Lusaka businessman, Valden Findlay’s residence in State Lodge area.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public relations officer Jonathan Siame who confirmed the matter said the search was in relation to ongoing investigations whose details he could not reveal.
Mr Siame said he could not give more details for fear of jeopardizing investigations.
He however said more details would be availed to the public at an appropriate time. The joint investigative team comprises the ACC, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), and Zambia Police Service (ZPS).
Efforts to get a comment from Mr Findlay proved futile as the phone went unanswered.
This search comes soon after the search on a New Kasama house, belonging to Faith Musonda, which yielded K65 million and US$57,000 in cash.
Both the cash and the house have been forfeited to the state in a deal which guarantees Ms Musonda freedom from prosecution.
The state took possession of K65, 333, 046 and US$57,000 cash from FaithMusonda after she entered into an amnesty deal with the Anti CorruptionCommission (ACC where she admitted to wrong doing.
The State also took possession of the House valued at K6 Million in New Kasama in which the money was found and a company which owned the house in which MsMusonda held majority shares.
According to ACC corporate affairs officer, Jonathan Siame, on October 15, 2021, the State, using Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, entered into an undertaking not to institute criminal proceedings against Ms Musonda on condition that she admitted to corruption charges.
Mr Siame said Ms. Musonda made a full disclosure of the monies in question and willingly surrendered the same to the State after admitting to corruption charges.
He said Ms Musonda was charged with Possession of Property Reasonably Suspected to be Proceeds of Crime contrary to Section 71 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crimes Act No.19 of 2010.
Mr Siame explained that Section 80 of the ACC Act allowed the State to grant amnesty to accused persons in certain instances on condition that they admitted wrongdoing and returned what they wrongfully acquired through corrupt practices.
He said the matter was handled by a Joint Investigative Team which included ACC, Zambia Police Service, Drug Enforcement Commission and the Financial Intelligence Centre.
‘’The advantage of using Section 80 in cases of asset recovery is that it saves on time by eliminating the prosecution process which can be lengthy, leading to assets losing value or getting damaged, and it also saved on the cost of investigation and prosecution,’’ he said.
According to Section 80 (3) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012, The Anti-Corruption Commission “may tender an undertaking, in writing, not to institute criminal proceedings against a person who;(a) Has given a full and true disclosure of all material facts relating to past corrupt conduct and an illegal activity by that person or others; and,(b) Has voluntarily paid, deposited or refunded all property the person acquired through corruption or illegal activity.”
