By Staff Writer
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested former Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba for alleged corrupt practices involving over US$33million.
ACC Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Timothy Moono said Mr Yamba, 62, of Lusaka has been arrested and charged with one count of willful failure to comply with applicable law and procedure relating to procurement contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
He said it is alleged that in 2018, Yamba did not follow procedure when he authorized an advance payment of US$33,750,000.00 to China Energy Engineering Group – Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd for the construction of FTJ Chiluba University in Mansa and Kasama under the Ministry of Higher Education.
“The said money was paid to the contractor but todate no university has been constructed,” he said.
Mr Moono said the Commission has further arrested an architect at the Ministry of Higher Education, for allegedly attempting to fraudulently facilitate a payment amounting to US$ 29,186,169.09 to China Energy Engineering Group–Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd.
He said Joseph Phiri 57 of Lusaka has been arrested and charged with one count of fraudulent facilitation of payment contrary to section 34 (2) (a) as read together with section 40(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012.
“Mr Phiri, being an Architect at the Ministry of General Education and Project Manager for the construction of FTJ Chiluba University in Mansa and Kasama, in 2018, did attempt to fraudulently facilitate a payment to China Energy Engineering Group–Hunan Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd by signing and issuing an Interim Payment Certificate No. 2 valued at US$ 29,186,169.09 with an inflated sum of US$7,578,772.41 for goods purportedly supplied when in fact not,” he said.
Mr Moono said Mr Phiri has since appeared in Court and has been granted bail by the Court while Mr Yamba is expected to appear in Court soon.
Meanwhile, the Commission is also pursuing Joseph Ngulube, a Quantity Surveyor at the Ministry of Higher Education in relation to the same matter.
