PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arrest of Congolese Asylum Seeker for Money Laundering Offenses involving over 4.2million Kwacha
Lusaka, Friday 19th January, 2024.
The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) in Lusaka, arrested a 39-year-old Congolese asylum seeker in Zambia for money laundering offences involving over ZMW 4.2 million.
Particulars of the offence are that the suspect, identified as Kasansa Mpoyi of Lusaka’s Balastone area, while acting together with other persons unknown between 1st January and 26th December 2023, forged a Zambian National Registration Card (NRC) in the name of Daniel Jean Nortier which he fraudulently used to open a bank account with a known bank and used it to receive a total sum of ZMW 4,291,965.96 from a foreign known bank, funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The suspect managed to withdraw ZMW1,650,000 of the deposited funds in cash over the counter, leaving a balance of ZMW2,641,715.59, which the Commission seized as proceeds of crime. In an interesting turn of events, the suspect presented himself to the officers of the Drug Enforcement Commission at AMLIU as Daniel Jean Nortier and attempted to have his seized money cleared for his access.
The Commission has since charged Mr Mpoyi with various money laundering-related offences, including forgery, uttering false documents, possessing property suspected to be proceeds of crime, and willfully or recklessly giving false or misleading information to an authorized officer.
The suspect will be appearing in court soon.
In light of the increasing prevalence of advanced fraudulent activities, we strongly encourage the public to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspected fraudulent activities to the relevant authorities.
Issued by:
Mwenge Mulenga
Public Relations Officer
Drug Enforcement Commission
