Press Briefings
Anti-Corruption Commission happy with milestones achieved in last year
The Anti-Corruption Commission has recorded a number of successes in the fight against corruption in the past one year which have been attributed to the support from stakeholders, the public and the prevailing political will in the fight against corruption in Zambia.
ACC Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono said the increase in funding to the Commission by the Government enabled the Commission to improve its staff compliment, with a total of 72 operational staff being recruited and deployed to their respective stations in the Provincial Offices. Mr Moono said the anti-corruption legal framework was also strengthened through the introduction of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012. This law re-introduced the ‘abuse of authority clause’ and the possession of unexplained property offences among others that had been removed by the previous government. He said the Commission continued to disseminate and spearhead the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Policy and its Implementation Plan.
Mr Moono was speaking during the third quarter media briefing held on 5th October 2012 at the Anti-Corruption House.
ACC Investigates 108 cases in Second Quarter, records 11 Arrests and 8 Convictions
The Anti-Corruption Commission has called on Zambians to be determined in fighting corruption individually and severally if equitable distribution of resources and reduction of poverty levels among all was to be achieved through good governance.
The call came during the Commission’s quarterly media briefing held last Friday at the Anti-Corruption Commission Headquarters in Lusaka. Speaking during the briefing, ACC Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono said the Commission had in the second quarter of the year recorded a total of 564 cases of suspected corruption of which 108 were authorized for investigations. He said eleven arrests were also made and eight convictions secured.
Mr Moono added that investigations into a number of high profile cases were also instituted while progress had been made on cases already under investigations. He said several corruption prevention and community education activities were also conducted during the quarter.
New Anti-Corruption Legislation comes into force, brings back ‘abuse of authority’ clause.
The Anti-Corruption Commission has instituted investigations into 96 cases out of 148 corruption related reports received in the first quarter of this year while 52 cases were deemed not to have had sufficient details of a corruption offence to warrant investigations to be conducted and advise on the best option to deal with the matters was rendered. The overall number of reports received including non corruption related cases was 517. Meanwhile a total of 13 arrests were recorded country-wide while only 2 convictions and 1 acquittal were also recorded.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday 24th April 2012, Anti-Corruption Commission Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono also disclosed that the Anti-Corruption Bill that was before Parliament was on 12th April 2012 assented to by Republican President Mr Michael Chilufya Sata and was now law.
The new law repeals and replaces the Anti-Corruption Act no 38 of 2010, and provide for the continued existence of the Anti-Corruption Commission and its powers and functions which include prevention, detection and investigations, prosecution and punishment of corrupt practices and related offences. Its major thrust, however, is that it also provide for integrity, transparency, accountability and management of public affairs and property; provide for the development, implementation and maintenance of coordinated anti-corruption strategies through the promotion of public participation as contained in the National Anti-Corruption Policy and further provide for the protection of witnesses, experts, victims and other persons assisting the Commission the execution of its mandate.
The law also provide for nullification of corrupt transactions; provide for payment of compensation for damage arising out of corrupt activities; provide for the domestication of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the African Union Convention and Preventing and Combating Corruption, the Southern African Development Community Protocol Against Corruption and other regional and international instruments on corruption to which Zambia is a party;; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.
3rd Quarter Media Briefing 2012
2nd Quarter Media Briefing 2012
1st Quarter Media Briefing 2012
End of Year Media Briefing 2011
End of Year Media briefing 2010