Metro

Ex-President Lungu’s daughter Tasila to know fate on corruption case April 19

Published

8 months ago

March 22, 2024

Tasila Lungu, the daughter of former Zambian President, Edgar Lungu, will on April 19 know her fate in a corruption case filed against her by the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Court.

The case which was lodged by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Gilbert Phiri, wants Lungu’s Sinda Farm forefeited to the state as it was allegedly acquired with government funds when her father was the President.

The contentious property in question is located in the Sinda district of Zambia’s Eastern Province and is said to be valued at K8 million, suspected to have been acquired through proceeds of crime.

When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, Justice Vincent Siloka who presided over the matter, dismissed the preliminary issues raised by Tasila.

Among the issues she raised was whether the “DPP can sue or be sued and that since he had no legal capacity to sue, the Economic and Financial Crimes Court had no jurisdiction to hear the forefeiture proceedings.”

The court, however, held the view that in accordance with article 180(1) of the constitution, the DPP had powers to institute and undertake criminal proceedings

Judge Siloka said the “matter was properly commenced as the DPP in Section 29 of the Forfeiture of Proceeds Crime Act is empowered to commence criminal/civil proceedings in matters relating to financial and economic crimes.”

The Court also held that pursuant to Article 180 (1) of the Constitution and Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the DPP would delegate his powers to State Advocates or any Prosecutor to exercise his powers.

“In conclusion, we find that all the preliminary issues raised are bereft of any merit and are dismissed,” Justice Siloka said.

“Consequently and following our directive at the last hearing that if we dismiss the preliminary issue, we shall proceed to render judgment based on the record before us as the substantive matter is unopposed,” he added.

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Metro

Zambia: Farmers’ union warns of uncertain future for agriculture sector

Published

12 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) of Zambia has warned of uncertainty on the future of the agricultural sector, stating that its outlook over the next 25 years remains uncertain and gloomy.

The Executive Director of SAFADA, Boyd Moobwe, who raised the concerns in a telephone interview with Zambia Monitor on Saturday, expressed regrets that the agric sector was facing critical challenges that could hinder its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and overall economic growth by 2030.

Moobwe admitted that the rapid changes in agriculture due to new technologies and innovations, has been slow amid the inconsistent implementation of these advancements which raises questions about the sector’s ability to survive amidst the growing threats of climate change, political instability, and economic difficulties.

The SAFADA Director pointed out that many of the problems plaguing agriculture were self-inflicted.

“The current measures for agricultural and rural financing are inadequate due to poor data analysis and utilisation,” Moobwe said.

Agriculture, he said, “had the potential to revive the economy if proper policies were introduced and if small-scale farmers were fully involved in planning and implementing agricultural projects.”

Metro

Nigeria: CSO urges President Tinubu to investigate missing funds in Humanitarian Ministry

Published

16 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Nigerian civil society organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has called on President Bola Tinubu to launch an investigation into the over N57 billion that allegedly went missing in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.

The organisation, in a statement on Sunday, urged the president to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, as well as other anti-corruption agencies to commence a probe into the allegations without delay.

In the letter issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare and addressed to President Tinubu, the group warned against sweeping the allegations under the carpet as the Nigerian public has a right to know what happened to their money.

“The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations,” the watch dog group said.

“The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anticorruption legislation, and international anticorruption obligations.

“Hundreds of billions of naira are also reportedly missing in other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“Poor Nigerians have continued to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviations and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, (the ministry) in 2021 failed to account for over N54 billion meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021.

“The money was not directly paid to the beneficiaries. The Auditor-General is concerned that the money may have been diverted. He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury. He also wants suspected perpetrators of the diversion to be sanctioned in line with the Financial Regulations.

“The ministry reportedly failed to account for over N2.6 billion of public funds meant for the home-grown school feeding programme during Covid-19, as the programme was never executed. The money was allegedly paid to five contractors to procure, package and distribute Covid-19 palliatives to Kano, Zamfara and Abia states, but without any trace.

“The ministry also reportedly spent over N78 million to carry out a survey on the ministry’s Covid-19 response to states and vulnerable groups but without any approval or document.

“The ministry also reportedly failed to account for N400 million meant to pay stipends to 4,450 independent monitors for October, November, and December 2021.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“SERAP urges you to immediately enforce the judgment by Hon. Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, ordering your government to release the spending details of N729 billion by Mrs Sadia Umar-Farouk, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development,” SERAP warned.