Former Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Gladys Kristafor arrested

Former Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Gladys Kristafor has been arrested for alleged abuse of authority of office and failure to follow procurement procedures.

Anti-Corruption Commission -ACC- Public Relations Manager, Timothy Moono has confirmed this in a statement, saying Mrs Kristafor 54, has been under investigation by the government joint investigations team.

 

Mrs. Kristafor allegedly, without seeking treasury authority, authorised the release of 997-thousand 600 kwacha for the purchase two second hand rehabilitated graders, for the Rural Roads Unit in Livingstone.

This happened in Livingstone, between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011, when Mrs. Kristafor was serving as Permanent Secretary for Administration and revenue management.

 

And Mrs. Kristafor has since appeared in court over the charges.Mr Moono said Mrs. Kristafor appeared in court Tuesday where she pleaded not guilty.

The matter has been adjourned to May 28, 2015 and June 30, 2015, for mention and July 14, 2015 for commencement of trial.

 

Meanwhile, the Commission in Chipata has arrested two government officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, for corrupt practices.

The Commission has jointly charged Veronica Daka, aged 54 and Joseph Lungu, 35 with three counts of Corrupt Acquisition of Public Property and Revenue contrary to the laws of Zambia.

The other charge is one count of altering False documents.

 

ACC Public Relations Manager, Timothy Moono says Ms Daka is the Senior Executive Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock whilst Mr. Lungu is a Human Resource Development Officer at Lundazi Community District Health Office in the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.

Ms. Daka and Mr. Lungu on dates unknown but between September, 2011 and June, 2012 jointly and whilst working together with other persons unknown purportedly used 11-thousand kwacha on conference facilities and meals for a workshop when in fact only 4-thousand kwacha was used.

 

In count two, Veronica Daka and Joseph Lungu fraudulently or unlawfully acquire public revenue amounting to 3-thousand Kwacha purporting to have used the money on fuel when in fact not.

The duo has since been released on bond awaiting appearance in court.-ZNBC