The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested and charged three senior officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock over the alleged misappropriation of more than K8.8 million linked to the Sustainable Livestock Infrastructure Management Project (SLIMP).
According to ACC Acting Head of Corporate Communications Chilufya Chisanga, the funds were part of a US$10 million loan facility under the SLIMP programme.
The latest arrests bring the total number of officials implicated in the scandal to 12.
Senior Officials Arrested
Those arrested are:
Grace Lungu – Principal Livestock Production Officer
Trohyb Hanyimbo – Senior Livestock Production Officer
Kabemba Mwambilwa – Assistant Director
The ACC says investigations have uncovered what it described as widespread abuse of public resources under the livestock project.
Grace Lungu Faces Multiple Charges
Ms. Grace Lungu, 47, of Lusaka’s Lilayi area, has been charged with 16 counts of fraudulent false accounting involving K750,320.52.
According to the ACC, she allegedly falsified accounting records by claiming imprest funds from the SLIMP account had been used for official purposes when they allegedly had not.
She has also been charged with two counts related to possession of property reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.
The assets include:
A residential property in Chipata valued at K800,000
A government bond worth K300,000
Trohyb Hanyimbo Charged
Meanwhile, Mr. Trohyb Hanyimbo, 42, of Libala South in Lusaka, has been charged with one count of corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue involving K1,984,071.
The ACC alleges that the funds were improperly diverted from SLIMP accounts.
Kabemba Mwambilwa Also Charged
Assistant Director Kabemba Mwambilwa, 48, of Chongwe’s Palabana area, faces one count of corrupt acquisition of public property and revenue involving K3,888,534.51.
Investigators allege the money was diverted from various SLIMP accounts.
Mr. Mwambilwa has additionally been charged with two counts of possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime involving:
A Hyundai Creta valued at K450,000
A Jaguar F-Pace valued at K650,000
The ACC has also accused him of abuse of authority of office for allegedly facilitating the employment of Grace Chundama as a SLIMP monitoring and evaluation specialist without approval from the ministry’s controlling officer.
ACC Reveals K124 Million Worth of Assets Under Investigation
According to the Commission, investigations into the SLIMP project have so far uncovered assets worth more than K124 million.
The suspected assets include:
Houses
Farms
Motor vehicles
Livestock
Government bonds
The Anti-Corruption Commission says investigations are still ongoing and more developments are expected as the probe continues.
Public Concern Over Corruption Cases
The case has attracted public attention amid ongoing concerns over accountability and the management of public resources in Zambia.
The ACC has maintained that it remains committed to fighting corruption and ensuring that individuals involved in abuse of public funds are held accountable.