SENIOR accountant at the ministry of finance, John Sichande says despite having access to the nation’s treasury for about 23 years, he has never been tempted to steal contrary to assertions by his brother Teddy Simwanza that he has been stealing from work.
He said the grave accusations by his incest accused brother that he stole money from the treasury have caused waves at his workplace as his supervisors are suspicious of him.
Sichande was reacting to the revelations about his brother who accused him of having framed him of incest after he refused to keep his K5 million which he took to him (Simwanza ) for safe keeping.
Simwanza alleged that his half brother Sichande had engaged in graft with Ndozo lodge proprietor Clint Sichamba and former PF intercity commander Francis Muchemwa.
However Sichande clarified that at no time has he betrayed government by dipping his hands in national coffers.
“I have never betrayed the government and I’ll never betray my employers. Never have I put in fingers in public coffers. I have never stolen and I’ve never appeared in any court on any issue of corruption and I have never been convicted of any corruption or any theft either in the public service or outside the service. Even at church I’ve never been accused of such allegations that Mr Simwanza is raising against me,” he said.
Sichande who denied being tied to the PF and its allies vowed to clean his image and prove to his employers that he is a devoted public worker.
“I am a civil servant and I am not supposed to be politically connected. By him (Simwanza) linking me to the PF, already, it taints my image at my place of work because I am supposed to serve the government of the day and no any other way and that’s what I’ll continue doing even with these allegations,” Sichande said.
The bean keeper who has threatened to take legal action against his brother said he has risen to higher ranks in his profession by breaking his back and never deviated from making clean cash.
“At no time was I given any monies by anyone politically connected. I have never met Mr Sichamba, I have never met any political cadre belonging to the Pf and that remains my statement even as I sue him for defamation of character that I have never possessed a K5 million even in my life up to today. I’ve never come in possession of that money,” Sichande said.
He mentioned that his brother has gone wild trying to paint every family member black after they cast him off for being ungracious and portraying himself as a saint whilst branding others to be ungodly.
“He’s been accusing family members that we are all witches and that we are bad people. So, to keep our peace, most of us decided to stay away from his home and blocked him on our phones,” Sichande explained.
“He’s been texting, accusing me that I am a wizard and that I am a plunderer. Unfortunately, as a family, we thought at one point he will come to his senses and do the right thing that was going to unite the family. Unfortunately he has not done that.”
He added that Simwanza is a bitter man who wants him down by dragging him in his mess with a motive to stain his image and destroy his profession.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba January 3, 2024
