Fraud investigators probe politicians

Zambia’s Anti-Corruption Commission has begun investigating allegations that 2-billion kwacha (US $720,000) of state money had been illegally diverted to fund a recent ruling party convention, agencies reported on Wednesday. The reports said the money, which was allocated to parliament, was given in cash to Works and Supply Minister Godden Mandandi shortly before the convention began on 27 April. Meanwhile, the independent ‘The Post’ newspaper published a statement by Mwelwa Chibesakunda, the clerk of the national assembly, saying Mandandi had borrowed the money for “essential government services” and that it had been repaid last week. The newspaper also quoted unnamed national assembly sources as saying Mandandi and Finance Minister Katele Kalumba were compelled to return the cash, after information leaked that it was to be used to fund the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) congress in Kabwe. It added that Bradford Malumbe, the Anti-Corruption Commission’s director of operations, confirmed an investigation was under way, but refused to give details.