Three Officials Arrested for Theft and Money Laundering at Oil Marketing Company
The Drug Enforcement Commission’s Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit has apprehended three officials from a well-known oil marketing company (OMC) on charges of theft and money laundering involving over K4 million.
The arrested individuals include Kenneth Mazibisa, aged 29, a Filling Station Manager, Kasongo Nkole, aged 38, an Accounts Clerk, and separately, Anthony Sindala, aged 37, another Filling Station Manager. They face charges of Theft by Servant, Forgery, Uttering False Documents, Money Laundering, and Possession of Property Suspected of being Proceeds of Crime. These charges are in violation of various sections of Zambia’s Penal Code and the Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
According to the case details, Mazibisa and Nkole allegedly acted together to steal K1,761,028 from the OMC between January 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020. The theft was accomplished by creating fictitious fuel transactions and underbanking. During the same period, Sindala is accused of stealing K2,907,527.22 from the OMC using a similar modus operandi. As part of the ongoing investigation, the Commission has seized three semi-detached flats, 10 motor vehicles, and frozen two bank accounts with a combined balance of K33,353.24.
In a separate incident, the Commission has also apprehended Bornface Chilambwe, aged 37, a Food Reserve Agency (FRA) Marketing Assistant, on charges of theft and money laundering. Chilambwe is alleged to have stolen 7,310 x 50 Kilogrammes of white maize, valued at K2,047,400, between January 1, 2023, and July 31, 2023, while working at the FRA Sesheke Main Depot. He is also accused of engaging in money laundering using the proceeds of the crime.
The suspects are currently out on bond and are expected to appear in court in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Commission emphasized its commitment to collaborating with both state and non-state actors to combat fraud, financial crime, and money laundering in the country. These collaborative efforts aim to safeguard confidence in the financial sector and align with the Inter Agency Framework Agreement established by the government to proactively combat crime within the Republic.
