By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Drug Enforcement Commission through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit in collaboration with the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) has arrested three Zambians and one Chinese national for money laundering involving over K5 million.
The Commission has formally jointly charged and arrested Mary Maimba 32, a Human Resource Manager, of Chelstone Green, Geoffrey Sichiweza 29, of Kaunda Square Stage 1, Raymond Muluti, a Translator 22, of Kamwala South and Gu Zhaofei, a Quality Controller 35, of Northmead for Accessing an Electronic Communications Network or Electronic Communication Service.
DEC Public Relations Officer Hussein Khan said particulars of the matter are that Mary Maimba jointly and whilst acting together with Geoffrey Sichiweza, Raymond Muluti, Gu Zhaofei and other persons unknown, on dates unknown but between November 1, 2022 and March 6, 2023 fraudulently accessed the electronic communication network of a known mobile service provider.
Mr Khan said the quartet were employing/deploying unlicensed/unauthorized sim boxes and managed to terminate international calls coming into Zambia, causing them to be treated and charged as local calls, thereby gaining financially through the difference.
He also said that the suspects were found in possession of four newly acquired and imported sim box machines.
“This illegal business was disguised by purporting that they were operating a money lending business named Vansiho Money Lending. The bank account of Vansiho has been frozen with a balance of K5, 360, 288.93 suspected of being proceeds of crime,” he said.
The four are on bond and will appear in court soon.
