THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has revealed that it’s investigating a former ward councilor of Lusaka for the suspicious purchase of a named bank with all its assets worth K300 million.

And the Commission has disclosed it is investigating DMMU officials for allegedly buying an unknown number of Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles for political activities in the last general elections using COVID-19 funds and other resources meant for disaster relief.

ACC says it is also investigating a senior public official at a quasi-government institution involving the alleged purchase of 12 motor vehicles worth K33.6 million used during the last election campaigns.

Sources have told News Diggers that the DMMU spent millions to purchase vehicles and other campaign resources from Dubai and that the DMMU offices were used as the PF Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT) centre using the government Satellite Emergency system which is linked to all the constituencies in the country.

Meanwhile, Tasila Lungu, whome sources say is the subject of bank purchase investigation, has distanced herself from the scandal, saying she has no capacity to buy a bank.

In a Tweet, Tasila who is the former president’s daughter said she had noticed media reports linking her to the scandal and emphasised that she was not aware of any investigation against her.

Speaking at a media briefing, Wednesday, ACC spokesperson Queen Chibwe disclosed that since the just ended general elections, the commission received 87 reports of suspected corruption cases, with 55 of those relating to high public interest cases.

“You may wish to know that since the just ended general elections, the Commission received a total of 87 reports of suspected cases of Corruption. Of these, 55 relate to high public interest cases some of which involve politically exposed persons. The Commission is investigating a senior public official at a quasi-government institution in a matter involving the alleged purchase of 12 motor vehicles worth K33.6 million used during the last general election campaigns. The Commission is also investigating a matter involving an alleged secret and illegal account at the Ministry of Finance purportedly used to siphon millions of Kwacha,” Chibwe said.

“Officials at DMMU for allegedly buying an unknown number of Toyota Land cruisers using Covid-19 funds and other resources meant for disaster relief for political activities in the last general elections. A former ward councilor of Lusaka is being investigated for the suspicious purchase of a named bank together with all of the bank’s assets worth K300 million. Investigations against officials at the Ministry of Local Government into alleged illegal awarding of contracts for road works worth over K10 million to two private companies which did not execute the works in Central Province.”

Chibwe said the Commission was also investigating two former senior police officials into illegal trading of mukula trees that were transported to unknown destinations.

She disclosed that ACC was further investigating former senior government officials at the Ministry of Health for allegedly awarding contracts for the purchase of COVID-19 protective equipment to businessmen without following procedure.

“Investigations against two former senior police officials into illegal trading of mukula trees that were transported to unknown destinations are also being conducted. Former senior government officials at the Ministry of Health are being investigated for allegedly awarding contracts for the purchase of Covid-19 protective equipment to businessmen without following procedure. This is a new case and is different from the Honey Bee case,” Chibwe said.

“Alleged illegal purchase of six houses in one of Lusaka’s low-density areas and owning property which include a fleet of motor vehicles suspected to be proceeds of crime by a senior public official are under investigations. A former government official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is being investigated for allegedly acquiring seven houses and other property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime in one of Lusaka’s low-density areas. An investigation against one of the senior managers at Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ) is underway for alleged abuse of company financial resources which were used to pay for school fees both locally and abroad worth over K1 million.”

Chibwe said all complaints were reported by members of the public after there was a change of government.

“We wish to inform you that all the above complaints were reported to the Commission by members of the public after there was a change of government. This is usually the trend that occurs after a general election and more so, when there is a change of government. The Commission further wishes to inform the public that we are purely carrying out our work and using the legal mandate as provided in the law to thoroughly investigate all reported complaints and ensure that each case is pursued to its logical conclusion,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chibwe said the Commission was still collecting rentals from the infamous 51 houses.

“For the 51 houses, the status is the same as we indicated last time that there [are] two aspects to it. There is a civil part where people are still contesting. They want to take the Commission to court to say that the manner in which the ACC possessed the houses was not right so that part is still in court. The criminal aspect is because the owners could not be found so the state took over those houses and they are actually being managed by the Commission. So the Commission collects rent from them and we put in the government coffers,” said Chibwe.