By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Drug Enforcement Commission in Lusaka have arrested a businessman for money laundering activities involving over K600, 000.00.
Joseph Banda, 28, a businessman of House No. 412, Silverest Gardens in Lusaka has been arrested for forgery, uttering false documents, obtaining goods by false pretenses and money laundering, contrary to the laws of Zambia.
Banda on dates unknown but between 1st August, 2018 and 9th January, 2019, jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown with intent to defraud did forge a letter purporting to have been written by the Attorney General and uttered it to the Managing Director of Cure Chem Pharmacy Limited for the offer of supply of ARVs amounting to USD80 million when in fact not.
The suspect further forged a letter addressed to the Republican President purportedly written by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Dr Emmanuel Mulenga Pamu, on the status of the supply of cancer treatment drugs and Antiretroviral drugs by Cure Chem Pharmacy Limited, when in fact not.
The suspect also forged a letter purportedly by the Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary to Cure Chem Pharmacy Limited and fraudulently obtained K610, 000.00 by falsely purporting that it was part of a bank guarantee for the supply of ARVs to the Zambian Government when in fact not.
The suspect has been released on police bond and will appear in court soon.
Meanwhile, the Commission in Lusaka has arrested a 29 year-old business woman identified as Tasha Nkweto of Garden House area for possession, trafficking, importing and exporting various quantities of cocaine and heroin.
The contraband, which was concealed in art curios, was intercepted in an operation conducted at a named courier company en route to Europe.
The suspect is currently in police custody and is expected to appear in court soon.
