DEC PRESS STATEMENT 31st JANUARY 2017

Mutale Chileshe

Lusaka, Tuesday 31^st January, 2017 – The Drug Enforcement Commission through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) in Western Province has arrested a Deputy School Head Teacher for money laundering involving over K17, 000.

Wamuntima Nyambe, 32, a Deputy Head Teacher of House No. 4 Namushakende in Nalolo District has been arrested for theft by public servant, fraudulent false accounting and money laundering contrary to the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence are that Wamunyima Nyambe, a class teacher and acting as Human Resource Officer at Nalolo District Education Office, on 24^th December, 2015 by virtue of his employment and without lawful authority did introduce unauthorised payroll transactions on his account and paid himself arrears for acting allowances as deputy head teacher amounting to K10 324.39 for the period 1^st January, 2015 to 31^st July, 2015. Nyambe further upgraded himself from the salary scale H to salary scale I and paid himself K7, 037.67 as arrears for the period 1^st August, 2015 to 31^st December, 2015. It is further alleged that he stole and engaged himself directly or indirectly into money laundering activities amounting to K17, 362.06.

He has since been released on Police Bond and will appear in Court soon.

And the Commission has arrested Allan Simutele, 43, a Tax Assistant of Plot 49/2 Chawama Township in Lusaka and Frank Bwalya, 48, a Businessman of Plot 36/34 Chazanga Township in Lusaka for theft, forgery, uttering of false documents and attempted theft.

It is alleged that Allan Simutele, a Tax Assistant at a named company, on dates unknown but between January, 2014 and November, 2016 jointly and whilst acting together with Frank Bwalya, owner of Fourways General Dealers, and other persons unknown with intent to defraud, did steal cash amounting to  K224,078.94  a total property of Starwa Limited and Bricback Limited. Furthermore, Simutele and Bwalya attempted to steal cash amounting to K87, 936 the property of Simutele’s employer.

On separate charges, Frank Bwalya is charged with theft, forgery, uttering of false documents, attempted theft and money laundering involving over K100, 000.

Particulars of the offence are that Frank Bwalya, owner of Fourways General Dealers, on dates unknown but between January, 2014 and October, 2016 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown with intent to defraud did steal cash amounting to K111, 510 a total property of three named companies. Furthermore, Bwalya attempted to steal cash amounting to K86, 050 and K110, 000 the property of a named company and a named individual respectively.

In another arrest, a barber man of Kanyama Township has been arrested for forgery, uttering false document, attempting to obtain credit by false pretences and personation contrary the Laws of Zambia.

It is alleged that Lewis Lumeta, 41, a barber man of House No D463 Kanyama Township, on dates unknown but between 1^st October 2016 and 13^th January, 2017 whilst acting together with other persons unknown with intent to deceive and defraud the Public Service Pensions Funds did attempt to obtain a loan amounting to K50, 000 using forged documents that included a National Registration Card (NRC), staff introduction letter and confirmation of employment letter. Lumeta purported to be an employed officer in the Ministry of Education when in fact not.

Lumeta also used the forged NRC to open a bank account with a known bank were the loan was to be disbursed. Lumeta was apprehended while trying to process the loan.

The suspect is in Police custody waiting to appear in Court.

Meanwhile, the Commission would like to refute reports circulating on social media and some other media circles that the Commission arrested a prophet popularly known as Seer 1.

On Friday 27^th January, 2017,  it was reported in some media circles that Prophet Andrew Egimadu who is popularly known as Seer 1 had been arrested for drug trafficking and detained at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Police Station.

The Commission would like to clarify that at no point did the Commission arrest or attempt to arrest the named prophet for any drug offence charges.

-ends-

Mutale Chileshe (Mr)

Deputy Public Relations Officer

Drug Enforcement Commission