Activists urge ACB to speed up Chilima’s corruption matter

There have been fresh calls for the graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to speed up the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the massive corruption in the country, which also includes Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima.

Chilima and 83 others are suspected to have received huge sums of money and other gifts from corruption kingpin Zuneth Sattar.

The country’s renowned political and social commentator Humphrey Mvula said the speeding up of the cases would help people regain trust in their leaders and government.

“In addition, this will help the state to recover the stolen public money and assets if the corruption cases are disposed off with speed,” he said.

Mvula said it is not good that public officers should continue performing their job with serious criminal corruption allegations hanging over their necks.

Last week, rights activists were pushing the Chief Justice Rezine Mzikamanda to swiftly establish a special court to try corruption cases, including those involving Vice President Saulos Chilima.

The activists want the Chief Justice to establish  Financial Crimes Court in a bid to speed up the trial of Chilima and 83 other suspects embroiled in the Sattar corruption allegations.

The ACB named the 84, who include Chilima, former police Inspector General George Kainja, former ACB director Reyneck Matemba, some judges, lawyers, politicians and journalists as suspected to have received huge sums of money and other gifts from corruption kingpin Zuneth Sattar.

They all deny the allegations.

Executive Director of Church and Society of the CCAP Livingstonia Synod Moses Mkandawire said there was urgent need to establish the special Court as the current courts cannot swiftly deal with all the 84 cases in the Sattar matter.

Mkandawire expressed worry that the establishment of the court has dragged for long.

Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency Executive Director Willy Kambwandira, on the other hand, wants  Chilima to step aside for his alleged involvement in the Sattar corruption scheme to allow independent investigations to commence.

Charles Kajoloweka of Youth and Society concurs with him; saying it will be difficult to investigate the public officers when they are still holding their offices.

Kajoloweka said all the officers implicated should either be fired or resign.

He said their alleged involvement in the state-capture level of corruption erodes their public trust.

ACB czar Martha Chizuma has hinted the graft busting body had not withdrawn its corruption charges and arrest warrant against Vice President Saulos Chilima.

She also said there had not been political interference from President Dr Lazarus Chakwera to force the Bureau drop the matter as is being suggested in some quarters.

“No arrest had been withdrawn. The work that we do is quiet tasking-emotionally, physically and even resource wise. We will proceed with what we are supposed to do.

“There has not been any political influence and even if there was, we would not be cowed into doing what is not right,” said Chizuma.