DEC Intensifies Operations On Drug Traffickin
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has intensified its operations in view of the SADC drug cartel planning to set up base in Zambia.
DEC Public Relations manager John Nyawali has disclosed in an interview.
Mr. Nyawali says the commission is strengthening its operations to prevent the recruitment of women whom he says are major targets as they are least expected to engage in drug related deals.
He says the commission is at the moment collaborating with both local and international Law Enforcement agencies and has already started carrying out sensitization campaigns to protect Zambians from illegal activities.
Mr. Nyawali has since appealed to members of the community to be vigilant and report all suspicious drug couriers to relevant authorities.
The commission last week warned members of the public especially women that there is a vicious and ruthless drug cartel operating in the Southern African Development Community region and is attempting to set up base in Zambia to recruit more drug couriers.
And The Lusaka Magistrate Court has sentenced a former Management Accountant at the Legal Aid Board to one year six months imprisonment with hard labour for theft of public funds amounting to K30 million.
Humphrey Chola Mumbi, 33, was convicted after being found guilty of theft and money laundering charges.
Facts before the court were that Mr. Mumbi in his capacity as Management Accountant at Legal Aid Board, a department under the Ministry of Justice withdrew over K30 million from the departments revolving fund account purporting that the money was to be given to officers as Loans when in fact not.
The money was however deposited into a private account with the view of earning interest which was going to be used for offsetting the K30 million illegally withdrawn.
And in a related development, two businessmen of Lusaka have been sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour for money laundering involving a total of K390 million.
Freddie Sichone, 54 was jointly sentenced with Paul Musonda Lunda 56 after being found guilty of three charges of money laundering.
Facts before the court were that the dual using a company called Sizala Enterprises Limited defrauded Standard Chartered Bank Limited by forging a cheque belonging to a Canadian based firm which they cashed and withdrew the money.
However, the cheque was not honoured as it was a forged document.
DEC Public Relations Manager John Nyawali says in a statement that the Commission is encouraged with the convictions as they show that financial crimes are not tolerated by the Zambian laws.
Meanwhile, 383 kilograms of cannabis was seized in the last seven days and 69 people arrested in connection with the psychotropic substance.
Mr. Nyawali says among those arrested was Ketankumar Naik, 43 Proprietor of My Own Pharmacy for being in possession of 1396 tablets of Phenobabital, a highly controlled depressant drug, without valid documents.
He says Mr. Naik together with his salesman has since been charged for drug trafficking.
(Flavafm)
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