Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:22:13 +0000
PRESS RELEASE
January 19, 2013
RIGHT TO REPLY
In view of the two published stories in the post news paper editions numbers 5932(Monday January 14, 2013) and 5937(Sunday January 20, 2013)on pages 8 and 5respectively. I feel duty bound to correct the distortions and innuendoes in both stories especially that from the same stories am the central figure of the so called arrest. The post newspaper seems to be finding pleasure in stories of falsehood. It had run a story in two of its editions characterised with serious misrepresentation of things. When facts have been presented, the post has decided to be mute. It is regretable that the once credible newspaper can choose to be used as a tool to peddle lies. I say so as the newspaper decided to drag my name into disrepute for reasons best known by whoever has an agenda.
To start with am not afraid to call what the stories are speaking to as a corrupt and sponsored arrest that will simply end up embarrassing the sponsor and those on his pay roll. On the issues directed at me I would like to state that I did not attempt to bribe any journalist instead it was Dean Mwaanga who has been soliciting for bribes from the first day I gave him the story. He based his demand on the assumption he shared with me that Gary Wadey has been paying scribes at Zambia Daily Mail huge sums of money in competition with an Indian he has issues with. I refused because my intentions were not in any way as mine was purely serving the national interest by wanting to bring this to the attention of genuine law enforcement officers who would operate under the pressure when the information is in public domain. If Mwaanga has any conscious to write home about he can be my witness that I refused to bribe him.
This also means I was not sent by any Indian as purported in the stories to frame Wadey at least not to my knowledge may be in my dream. Allegations of corruption are unfounded because the KR50 referred to in the story, which I confirm I gave to Kazoka for fuel was not the biggest the only amount I had on me KR4, 353. As an Investigator I can get information I believe is helpful to my work from anyone and in the case of what I had it was pushed under the door of my office and even if I had gotten it from a person in a face to face exchange am not under any obligation to disclose the sources of my information unless its against the interest of Zambia and detrimental to the fight against corruption. To the contrary what I had was supportive of the fight against corruption. One wonders why genuine officers will be jittery with such information. Whose interests are they protecting? It is good this case will proceed to court so that it’s a good case study on who is fighting corruption.
The happenings that preceded the arrest leave much to be desired. We were in the company of three people, but the police officers who carried out the sponsored arrest left Dean Mwaanga, who had to beg them to arrest him.Realising the lapses and omissions in their sponsored operation, they called him to get into the car. It’s the first time in life to see the offender begging law enforcement officers to arrest him. What a dull irregularity! There is need to mention that Dean was found with Gary Wadey’s business card as the police pretended to search him at Emmasdale Police Station in the CID office, when I and Kazoka were searched in the dark arcades carpark.The police at Emmasdale have not given me an answer yet as to where they took my KR300 as aforementioned initially I had KR 4,353 before I gave them my wallet. After counting it was found that the money was KR4020 and I had remained with KR33 on my top pocket, which I gave to inmates who were in need. The two police officers at Emmasdale were too excited to an extent where they started intimidating fellow police officers when they asked about the details of my case. If the story as they claim was not new why was it not published in the media as it made the backbone of my arrest so that the public can make judgment? I suspect the sources who are been quoted are trying to stage manage it so that they look like they are serving public interest. I challenge the Anti-corruption commission to have an official position on this as I can no longer put up with the distortions and innuendoes from the so called sources every day that passed I should be the one sustaining their relevance as law enforcement. Its time got tired with some officers who are hell bent and only serving their pockets as the main agenda at the expense of national interest. They are sacrificing institutions that were made to stand for integrity at the altar of personal gain and corruption which they are supposed to fight.
I take great exception to anyone wanting to paint my name black for purposes of their survival and am not prepared to be a sacrificial lamb as men of faint morality are exchanging money on my head. I refuse to launder those who have not realized that their duty is to serve the public effectively with impartiality and completely detached from cheap personal gain. As for comrade Goodwell Lungu at Transparent International Zambia (TIZ) it’s unfortunate that he chose to open a can of worms. Let him tell the nation whether the information I used supply to him during the Mwanawasa regime was bought. It is unbecoming of a person who is supposed to fight corruption to get excited in passing comments just to protect the interests of his personal friend Gary Wadey. Once am done with this case I intend to take legal action against Mr. Lungu so that he can prove to me which Journalists I have been buying as he portrayed. I want to put on record that the turn of events to me is a blessing in disguise for it will give the nation an opportunity to know the truth and it’s my prayer that ethical and fair coverage will take precedence over biasness. It is indeed an opportunity to exchange truth with falsehood.
Mr. Matthews Fube
Private Investigator
