The Zambian Whistleblower would like to demonstrate why we believe that the forthcoming trial in the Gold/ Cash scandal from the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport ( KKIA) should be held in public.
According to statements from various witnesses and accused, a number of high profile people have been mentioned in the scandal and it will just be right that the matter is prosecuted in public.
According to our sources from within law enforcement agencies who are against the trial being in secret, testimonies implicate a number of institutions and individuals.
The developments, facts and documents related to the case of alleged espionage brought against Shadrick Kasanda and others, in the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport God and cash scam, all point to the wisdom of having its proceedings in open court, rather than in camera, as the State has applied.
The State has applied to have that the Lusaka High Court conducts in camera the case involving Lusaka businessman Kasanda, Francis Maluba Makai Mateyo, a security official for President Hakainde Hichilema based at State House, and three others namely Jim Belemu, Robinson Moonga and Patrick Kawanu.
The advantages to the government of having this case heard in open court far outweigh whatever the unexplained public interest the State wants to use to canvass to have the case heard in camera, which means having the trial held in secret.
It is also in the interest of the people, whose names have been mentioned in statements by the accused persons, to have the case tried in open court so that they are availed that "public" forum to have their names cleared of the very serious portrayals of the parts they are alleged to have played in the Gold-Cash saga.
The charges against Kasanda and others stem from their alleged part in the Gold Scam involving US$ 5.7 million. They were initially arrested with a group of Egyptians, who were however kept at a luxury lodge while the Zambians were remanded in police and prison facilities.
Because of the amounts of money involved, the grounding of a foreign jet used by the Egyptians, and the names of highly placed individuals in government, the public service and the security services, the matter raised immense public interest, not only in Zambia but also in Egypt and internationally.
With regard to the money, when the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) gave its first statement on the arrest of the group, the amount given was $11 million in cash. Later the same DEC downgraded it to about $7 million, and later to $5.7 million.
This suggested that nearly half of the money found on board the foreign jet was taken off it before the arresting team arrived. The question then is how could people involved have been staggering through the highly secured section of the airport with more than $5 million in cash unnoticed?
There is also the question of what really happened for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to enter a nolle prosequi against the Egyptians, and only one Zambian named Oswald Diangamo, known to be President Hichilema's personal accountant, a relationship so close that although Diangamo is not a civil servant, he travels on a diplomatic passport.
The public is also interested in the information that Kasanda reportedly gave to investigators, which is that he personally reported the Gold Scam incident to Christopher Mundia, President Hichilema's Legal Advisor, and Levy Ngoma, the Political Advisor, Friday Nyambe the Intelligence boss and Aaron Mwanza from Community House, President Hichilema's residence.
The veracity of this information from Kasanda needs to be established, so that the people so mentioned are afforded a fair chance to have their names cleared, and the public is satisfied about the conduct of senior government officials and others working close to the President.
This latter part is crucial for the public to know, especially in the light of information that one of the Egyptians, named Michael Abdel Botros, has stated to the DEC that his group agreed to come to Zambia because they were assured of "presidential protection", and that he himself had an invitation from State House.
According to Botros, the total amount due on the gold deal was $11.4 million, and that he paid three sets of officials, ranging from airport security, police and DEC a total of $520,000 to share amongst themselves.
Strangely, nobody in Egypt or Zambia has so far admitted to chartering the foreign jet for its botched gold mission, or even being the owner of the money in question.
These are very serious questions, and allegations leveled against very well placed officials of a government that has pronounced a surpassing commitment to the fight against corruption, and refusal to shield anyone from being investigated or prosecuted for wrongdoing.
This government has also been very vocal in encouraging individuals from the previous government to welcome being taken to court so that they could clear their names of allegations of corruption. Well, now is the time for the State to walk this talk.
The public would like to know:
- What was President Hichilema's personal accountant Oswald Diangamo's role in this scam?
- Who arranged the meeting Botros was to have at State House, and who was he due to meet?
3.If Christopher Mundia and Levy Ngoma are called as witnesses, will they appear, and what will they have to say about Kasanda's assertion that he reported the gold scam to them? Dis they inform the President? - Who sent Francis Mateyo from State House to the airport on 13th August, 2023 and for what mission?
- Who are the police, security and airport officers who took a share of the $520,000?
- Has this money been recovered from them?
Perhaps the biggest questions relate to the State's application for this trial to be held in camera.
Is it fear of more questions being raised during this trial that is motivating the State's desire for it to be held in camera? Is it fear of exposure of people very high in the government circles?
Is the State hiding behind the so-called security concerns to shield some of its people from investigation for their involvement in the gold scam? If so, how then can the government of President Hichilema defend itself against charges that its fight against corruption is being applied slectively?
The Zambian Whistleblower has stated before that the Zambian public must demand greater transparency from those they have put in government. This is one such instance when such transparency is required.
Holding this trial in camera is actually moving in the opposite direction to achieving this much needed transparency. Attached are copies of statements from the accused and some State witnesses.
