The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) in Lusaka has arrested an accountant and a cashier of a named brewery company for stealing over K1.8 million from their employer.

And the commission has also arrested a businessman of Makeni’s Bonaventure area for attempting to sell land without the owner’s consent.

Meanwhile, DEC in Southern Province has arrested five small-scale farmers for trafficking in over a ton of cannabis.

In the first arrest, the commission arrested an accountant and a cashier for money laundering activities involving over K1.8 million.

“The Commission in Lusaka has arrested two people for various money laundering offences involving over K1, 800, 000. The two are identified as Clara Kansamba, 33, an assistant accountant of Plot No. 404/25 Lilanda, and Sylvia Hibeene, 30, a cashier of Plot No. L7587M Chilanga, arrested for fraudulent false accounting, theft and money laundering, contrary to the laws of Zambia. Particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between 1st September, 2018 and March, 2019, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown, the duo did steal a total amount of K 1, 822, 617 from a named brewery company. The duo, whilst working for the said brewery company in Lusaka never receipted money collected from salesmen, claiming that the company’s system was down. The duo further made false entries into the system purporting to have posted the cash which were later cancelled as journal reversals and then shared between the two,” DEC deputy Public relations officer Kamufisa Manchishi stated, Monday.

Manchishi stated that the commission in Lusaka also arrested a 34-year-old businessman of Makeni’s Bonaventure area attempting to sell land without the owner’s consent.

“The Commission in Lusaka has also arrested Fredrick Chanda Kangwa Nkonde, 34, a businessman of House No. 247 in Bonaventure Makeni for forgery, uttering false documents and obtaining goods by false pretences, contrary to the laws of Zambia. Particulars are that on dates unknown, but between 1st June, 2018 and 31st May, 2019, Fredrick Chanda Kangwa Nkonde jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown did advertise plots for sale being four (4) sub-divisions of a farm in Lusaka’s Baobab area in the Daily Nation and Mast newspapers without consent from the known land owners,” Manchishi stated.

“The suspect further took a known Zambian to view two plots he had shown interest in buying, without knowing that one of the plots belonged to the same potential buyer. The suspect also prepared and issued two contracts of sale and receipts under his company called Radias Corporation Limited. However, as the suspect was in the process of obtaining a down payment of K300, 000 from the suspecting buyer, the Commission managed to apprehend him.”

He stated that all the suspects were on police bond and would appear in court soon.

In a related development, the commission in Southern Province has arrested five small-scale farmers for trafficking in over a ton of cannabis.

“The suspects include Victor Siabasimbi, 31, a small scale farmer of Simasengele Village in Sinazongwe District arrested for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 611 Kilograms and Sara Shangombe, 39, jointly charged with Emma Shabulika, both of Masengele Village in Sinazongwe arrested for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 245 kilograms. Others are Lillian Shamuwele, 29 a small scale farmer of Masengele village in Sinazongwe District, jointly charged with Aleti Bilo, 20 of the same village for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 240 kilograms. The suspects are in Police custody and will appear in court soon,” stated Manchishi.