EXTEND PROBE TO UPND LEADERS, INVESTIGATIVE WINGS TOLD

EXTEND PROBE TO UPND LEADERS, INVESTIGATIVE WINGS TOLD INVESTIGATIVE wings should not only focus their probe on former government leaders but also on those in the new administration, former Attorney General Musa Mwenye has said. Mr Mwenye said President Hakainde Hichilema had been clear that his administration would not tolerate historical, current and future corruption. “When we talk about the fight against corruption, it should not only be on those who were in the PF Government but also those in the UPND Government. “ACC should investigate corruption even if it involves those in government as opposed to focusing on the previous regime,” he said. Mr Mwenye also said the investigative wings should stop the tendency of “sleeping on duty” and only wake up when there was change of Government. “The investigative wings have been sleeping for the past seven years and are only waking up now because there is change of Government. This should not be allowed to happen again,” he said. Mr Mwenye said the investigative wings such as the Anti-Corruption Commission have the legal mandate of fighting corruption and that there was no reason for failing to do so. “Investigative wings were sleeping prior to the new government and are just waking up now and this should never be allowed to happen again,” he said. He said the investigative wings have a legal mandate to investigate corruption but turned a blind eye to clear corrupt practices and illegal activities. Mr Mwenye said it was gratifying that the head of State has been clear that his administration will not tolerate corruption from past present and future leaders. He said the law enforcement agencies should not practice self-censorship. He was happy with tangible political will to fight corruption Meanwhile, Mr Mwenye said the law enforcement agencies were on firm grounds to suspect that the K65 million that was recovered in a house in new Kasama was proceeds of crime. He said there was no conceivable reason that could justify keeping K65 million in the house when the country’s banking system operates well. “Law enforcement agencies did the right thing to seize the K65 million that was kept in the house in New Kasama because it is not justifiable to keep such huge sums of money in the house when our banking system operates very well,” Mr Mwenye said. He said keeping so much money in the house was a threat to financial stability and a security threat to the country. “There was no logical explanation that can justify keeping huge sums of money in the house when the country’s banking system operates well,” he said. Mr Mwenye said it was necessary that the owner of the money explains how the money came about. By NATION REPORTER