Absence of ACC in Chirundu contributes to corruption by law enforcers – DC

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–Chirundu District Commissioner, Peggy Nyirenda, says the absence of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) offices in her district has contributed to the number of
corruption cases amongst law enforcement agencies operating in the district.


Speaking when the Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission paid a courtesy call on her at her office today, Mrs Nyirenda
disclosed that the level of corruption among law enforcement agencies
especially the police and the Road Transport and Safety Agency has reached alarming levels in the district.


Mrs Nyirenda explained that most of the accidents that have recently been reported are as a result of some taxi drivers running away from
RTSA officers who charge them colossal sums of money in bribes while others are left scot free depending on their relation.


The DC explained that both the police and RTSA officers are too corrupt in their operation because there were no ACC offices to
monitor their operations.


She noted that in Chirundu, being a border town, there were a lot of activities that can bring wealth to the country but corruption has
hampered the economic growth, saying the district also lacks the services of the media to expose graft.


And the DC told the commission that the new district has no magistrate court to prosecute people who are arrested by the police which she
said leads to cases taking long to be cleared once taken to courts in the neighbouring district of Siavonga.


She, however, disclosed that plans by government to construct a magistrate’s court are underway but did not state how soon the court
would be constructed.


She also asked for the services of the Legal Aid Board and the Prisons Service so that the offenders can be prosecuted and imprisoned within
the district as opposed to transporting inmates.


Speaking earlier, Legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission Chairperson, Frederick Chomba, stated that Chirundu was lucky to be
selected as one of the districts in Lusaka where the commission has held public settings.


Justice Chomba said government realized that the legal and justice sector was not perfect hence it constituted a commission to get
people’s views with a view of making corrections.


He said the commission has been tasked by the appointing authority to get people’s recommendations on what they think should be amended for
them to receive justice.


Meanwhile, the commission suffered the challenge of room for holding the public sitting as the available hall at the council was too small
to accommodate commissioners and members of the public who came to petition and listen to submissions.


The public were subjected to listening to the speaker outside the hall as petitioners made their submissions but before commencing the sitting the
chairperson of the commission addressed them to explain the commission’s presence in the district.


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