Cartel of safari hunting operators infiltrated govt departments – Masebo

Ms Masebo told the tribunal during cross examination by the petitioner’s lawyer Makebi Zulu that most of the operators are not indigenous Zambians.

She further stated that the tribunal against her is part of the cartel, adding that most of the people that have testified against her have not been honest.

Ms Masebo submitted that she was instructed by President Micheal Sata to fire the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) management and cancel the tender for the concession of nineteen hunting blocks.

Ms Masebo testified that she also sent the statement regarding the dismissal of ZAWA management and cancellation of the tender to President Sata for approval before she issued it, and that the president approved it.

She stated that the statement she made with regards the dismissal of ZAWA officials and cancellation of the tender for hunting concessions was purely government’s position.

The Tourism Minister further testified that she also discovered a scam involving one hundred and thirty five sables which were to be exported outside Zambia.

But when asked by the petitioner’s lawyer what had happened to the Sables thereafter ,Ms Masebo told the tribunal that she was not aware that vice president Guy Scott had approved the exportation of the sables.

She told the tribunal that this was news to her as she had just heard about it.

Earlier in the day Ms Masebo told the tribunal that she had unearthed a scam where 135 sables were to be exported illegally outside the country.