THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested three Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) employees and one clearing agent for corruption involving abuse of authority of office, corrupt practices and fraudulent false accounting.
Topsy Sakala, Dickson Msimuko, both ZRA treasury officers, Nasilele Isilabo, a ZRA senior treasury officer, and Nancy Yendama, a clearing agent have been charged with various counts ranging from corrupt practices, fraudulent false accounting, and Abuse of Authority of Office contrary to the laws of Zambia. Topsy Sakala, 34, of Chilenje in Lusaka has been charged with two Counts of fraudulent false accounting contrary to section 326 CAP 87 of the laws of Zambia, two counts of Abuse of Authority of Office by a public officer contrary to section 21 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012, and a further two counts of corrupt practices contrary to section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012.
Details in the matter are that on unknown dates but between 1st January 2019 and 15th April 2020, in Lusaka, Sakala, being a public officer, whilst acting together with others unknown received bribes of K 21, 000 and K100, 000 on separate occasions in order to generate false Automated System for Customs Data (Asycuda) receipts for Simudi Enterprises and Savenda Management Services Limited.
Meanwhile, Dickson Msimuko, 39, of Emmasdale in Lusaka has been charged with two counts of Abuse of Authority of Office by a public officer contrary to section 21 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012, and two counts of corrupt practices contrary to section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012.
Details in the matter are that Msimuko, being a public officer, on unknown dates but between 1st January 2019 and 21st April 2020 in Lusaka, whilst acting with others unknown, abused the authority of his office and received bribes of K 100, 000 and K 1, 500 on separate occasions from agents in order to facilitate generation of a false Asycuda receipts for Savenda management services Limited and an unknown company.
In the other matter, Nasilele Isilabo, 43, of Obama area in Lusaka, has been charged with four counts of corrupt practices contrary to section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012, and one count of fraudulent false accounting contrary to 326, CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia. Details of the offence are that on unknown dates but between 1st January 2019 and 21st April 2020 in Lusaka, Isilabo, being a public officer, whilst acting together with others unknown, received bribes of K 100,000, K 12,000, K 25,000, and K 2,500 on separate occasions from a named agent in order to facilitate generation of false Asycuda receipts for Savenda management services Limited and an unknown company.
Meanwhile, Nancy Yendama, 35, of Kamwala South in Lusaka, a Director at Nameric Investments Limited and Yenamo Investments Limited, is charged with five counts of corrupt practices contrary to section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 of 2012. Details are that on unknown dates but between 1st January 2018 and 20th April 2020 in Lusaka, Yendama, being a business person, whilst acting together with others unknown paid bribes of K 104,730, K 12,500, K 25,000, and K 2,500 on separate occasions to the aforementioned ZRA Treasury Officers in order to facilitate generation of false Asycuda receipts for Savenda Management Services Limited.
She further paid a bribe of K 10, 000 to a named ZRA officer in order for him to facilitate the release of an impounded truck.
The suspects have since been released on bond and are due to appear in court soon.