6 November 2009
THE total expenditure of the Task Force on Corruption was higher than the recoveries made during the period of its operations, Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani has said.
Mr Mangani said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that colossal sums of money were spent on the operations of the Taskforce, particularly on the hiring of private lawyers within and outside the country.
"The nation did not get a good deal from the Taskforce. A lot of money was spent on private lawyers. The facts on the expenditure and recoveries speak for themselves," Mr Mangani, who did not state the total amount of money spent said.
But sources said the Government spent $13 million on foreign lawyers and more than $900,000 on local private prosecutors.
The sources said $1.3 million was still outstanding for the foreign legal fees while $480,000 was still owed to local private lawyers.
The money raised from the sale of properties seized abroad has all gone towards settling the legal fees for the hired lawyers.
In 2004, the Government paid $85,000 to MNB, a firm where local private prosecutor Mutembo Nchito is a partner.
In 2005, $465,000 was paid out to MNB while $200,000 was paid in 2007. A further $120,000 was paid out to the law firm in 2008 with the last payment made this year of $80,000.
-Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga has challenged members of Parliament (MPs) alleging corruption in the fuel procurement process to prove their claims.
Mr Konga said in Parliament on Wednesday evening after several opposition MPs
repeatedly accused the Government of being corrupt in the importation of fuel that there was no such a thing because contracts were awarded on a competitive basis.
He said in response to Luena MP Charles Milupi (Independent) who alleged that the Government had awarded a contract to a small Kenyan company that there was no element of corruption in the whole process.
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