PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has sent Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Chief Executive Officer Mateyo Kaluba on forced leave.

According to sources, Kaluba received a letter to that effect on Wednesday.

“The President signed the letter sending Kaluba on forced leave yesterday. This is to pave way for investigations following his arrest by the ACC,” said the sources.

On January 11, ACC arrested Kaluba for abuse of authority of office involving a Mukula transaction.

“The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Industrial Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer for abuse of authority of office. Mr Mateyo Kaluba aged 46, of plot number 41830/M in Lilayi off Shantumbu Road in Lusaka has been arrested and charged with abuse of authority of office contrary to section 21(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 of the Laws of Zambia,” stated ACC spokesperson Queen Chibwe.

“Particulars of the offence are that on dates unknown but between 1st March 2020 and 31st March 2021, Mateyo Kaluba, jointly and whilst acting together with persons unknown did abuse the authority of his office by arbitrarily directing Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation (ZAFFICO) PLC to enter into the contract of sale, dated 16th June 2021, between ZAFFICO and Dungguan Baichan Trading Company Ltd., in relation to Mukula tree logs without following procurement procedures.”