DEC,Police not in receipt of NGO embezzlement report

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the Zambia Police Service have refuted media reports suggesting that the Department for International Development (DFID) has reported three Non-governmental Organisations for embezzling US$3.5 million.

The Zambia Accountability Project (ZAP) comprising NGOs among them; Zambia National Women’s Lobby, the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP), Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) is alleged to have been reported to authorities.

DEC Deputy Spokesperson Kamufisa Manchishi says the Commission has not received any such report, not even through its Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit as alleged in the story.

And Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo says the Police service is not in receipt of any complaint as reported in some sections of the media.

Meanwhile, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) President Andrew Nthewewe says the organization has not at any particular time been involved in the embezzlement of the said US$3.5 million.

Mr. Nthewewe has since described as malicious the statement which he says is being perpetrated by individuals who have some disdain of the works YALI is doing and the principles and values for which they stand for.