PRESS STATEMENT Lusaka, Friday 8th January, 2021 unscrupulous people repackaged over five (05) tonnes of agriculture inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)

PRESS STATEMENT

Lusaka, Friday 8^th January, 2021.

The Drug Enforcement Commission has unearthed a scam in which some unscrupulous people repackaged over five (05) tonnes of agriculture inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) into other bags with intentions to smuggle to neighbouring countries.

The Commission which is part of the Task Force to control goods, import and export of agriculture inputs as stipulated in Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 of 2019, conducted an operation in Senama and Kasasa Compound of Mansa District on 6^th January, 2021 where 10 x 50kg bags of Compound D Fertiliser weighing 500kg, 79 x 60Kg bags of Groundnuts Seeds weighing 4.94 tonnes and 9 x 60Kg bags of Soya beans Seeds weighing 610kg were seized.

Further, the Commission seized two motor vehicles including a light truck of Registration Number ASB 2451 and a Toyota Allion Registration Number BAP 6692 which were found at the scene and suspected to have been used as instruments of crime.

The operation and preliminary investigations conducted reveal that the seized FISP agriculture inputs belong to a Zambian male identified as Agrippa Njamu of House Number 89, Mutende Site and Service in Mansa District. A building at Kasasa market in Mutende site and service was identified to have been used for concealment of the said inputs and Mr Njamu had hired Jonathan Kapinga a driver of the light truck that was seized to deliver these products at the same building. In the process another two other men identified as Chanda Chimba who had gone to buy the said fertilizer using a hired Toyota Allion driven by Joseph Chiwala were picked to help with investigations.

The three have since been released on Police bond and the Commission has launched a man hunt for Agrippa Njamu who is on the run.

The Commission wishes to warn all those frustrating governments’ efforts in ensuring food security in the country that the law shall soon catch up with them and will be dealt with accordingly.

Meanwhile the Commission through the Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit in North-Western Province has arrested and charged a Head Teacher and a school Accounts Assistant of Kasempa Boys Secondary School for theft by public servant and money laundering activities involving ZMW 27,500.00.

The two identified as Chalton Kangasa, 56, a Head Teacher of Kasempa Boys Secondary School and Willie Mulenga, 50, an Accounts Assistant of Kasempa Boys Secondary School whilst acting together made a number of withdraws amounting to ZMW 27,500.00 on the school boarding account where they are both signatories. The said account is designed for expenses relating to boarding supplements and food stuffs for the pupils.

This was done under the pretext that the funds were payments for advance salary, tuition advance and settling in allowances without due regard to Ministry of General Education Financial guidelines and the Public Finance Management regulations.

The suspects are on Police bond awaiting court appearance.

Theresa Katongo

Public Relations Officer

Drug Enforcement Commission

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