By ADRIAN MWANZA
THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has instituted investigations into reports that former Health minister, Chitalu Chilufya was maliciously prosecuted by its officers.
This follows demands by Dr Chilufya that the ACC pays him US$50 million within three days as compensation for unlawful prosecution after an audio went viral on social media which exposed former ACC Director General Rosemary Khuzwayo, instructing officers to prosecute him even without sufficient evidence.
Dr Chilufya was acquitted on all four charges of alleged corruption that were slapped on him by ACC.
An ACC investigations officer Chipambe Manda had testified that the total value of assets that the minister was charged with as being proceeds of crime was K5, 542, 500, whereas his known legitimate earnings in the period under investigation exceeded K19 million.
According to to a letter from Dr Chilufya’s lawyers Tutwa Ngulube and Company Legal Practitioners addressed to the Attorney General and the ACC Director-General, failure to pay US$50 million would compel him to seek redress.
He said the money demanded was for the damage caused to his reputation which he had built over the years.
Dr Chilufya, who is Mansa Central Member of Parliament, said the ACC allegedly opted to prosecute him despite knowing that he was innocent.
When contacted, ACC spokesperson Queen Chibwe said they had received the letters from Dr Chitalu and were studying the matter.
Ms Chibwe said the legal team was assessing and investigating the matter and would advise on the next course of action.
She said that it was too early for the ACC to give its position on the matter,
“What I can tell you is that we have received the documents from Dr Chilufya demanding US$50 million in three days and we are trying to analyse the situation,” Ms Chibwe said.
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