By Staff Writer
The Zambia Institute of Independent Media Alliance (ZIIMA) says it is disappointed in the manner the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is selectively handling corruption complaints in the nation.
ZIIMA has observed that ACC seems to have a specific target and bias towards some cases it investigates.
ZIIMA President Jajah Coulibaly said it leaves us with many questions as to whether this institution is genuine in handling corruption cases.
Mr Coulibaly said the specific interest in a case involving Times of Zambia where glaring and potential corruption has taken place in respect of suspected asset stripping for instance.
He said Evidence pointing to asset stripping, doctoring of financial report figures with intent to mislead the Head of State have been submitted to ACC yet no action has been taken.
“We challenge the ACC to call for a tribunal where Times of Zambia workers can testify and bring out evidence in public to avoid unfair actions being taken against the company.
“These falsified reports have led to the company being ‘rendered unproductive’ when books of the company income show profitability contrary to what the President was informed. This is unacceptable and highly misleading,” he said.
Mr Coulibaly said placing of Times of Zambia under the care and maintenance of Zambia Daily Mail (ZDM) has become a contentious issue because it is not economically feasible to have two competing companies to be run by the other competitor.
He said employees of Times of Zambia have been sadly served with redundancy letters symbolizing its closure by December 31, 2022 despite it making good profit and meeting all its obligations including payment of monthly allowances as well as printing costs to the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and ZDM.
Mr Coulibaly has challenged the ACC to investigate illegalities surrounding the hurried winding up of the Newspaper and not only be proactive on cases involving election candidates and politicians in the public interest.
He said while the President is preaching job creation other vital institutions are giving him falsehoods leading to the sending of professional journalists on the streets with peanuts.
