THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence Stardy Mwale for corrupt practices involving more than US$ 573.9 million in relation to the procurement of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet.
Mwale, 51, of Flat 21 Eureka Park in Makeni, has been charged with three counts of Wilful Failure to Comply with Applicable Law and Procedure contrary to Section 34 (2) (b) and one count of Fraudulent Facilitation of Payment from the Public Revenue Contrary to Section 34 (2) (a)(i) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.3 Of 2012.
ACC head of corporate communication Timothy Moono has disclosed in a statement that investigations have established that Stardy Mwale, while acting together with others, between the 1st January, 2017 and 31st December, 2017, being Permanent Secretary and the Chairperson of the Ministerial Procurement Committee for the Ministry of Defence, allegedly failed to comply with the applicable law and procedure in the manner he approved the award of the tender number MOD/MPC/024-17 and signed the amendment of contract number MOD/MPC/024-17 relating to the procurement of the Modernisation of the Defence forces Program at a contract price of US$ 400,000,000.00 to Elbit Systems Limited without approval from the Ministry Procurement Committee.
He said investigations have also established that Stardy Mwale, whilst acting together with others, between the 1st January, 2019 and 31st December, 2019, being Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, did wilfully fail to comply with the applicable law and procedure in the manner he signed a novation of the contract number MOD/MPC/002-19 between Elbit Systems Limited and Ministry of Defence to Savenda Systems Limited at a contract price of US$123,965,000.00
Stardy Mwale, a former permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence, was detained by THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for engaging in fraudulent acts worth more than US$ 573.9 million in connection with the purchase of the Gulfstream G650 Presidential Jet.
Mwale, 51, of Makeni’s Flat 21 Eureka Park, has been charged with three counts of willful disregard for the law and procedure in violation of Section 34 (2) (b) and one count of fraudulent facilitation of payment from public funds in violation of Section 34 (2) (a)(i) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
In a statement, Timothy Moono, the head of corporate communication for the ACC, said that investigations had determined that Stardy Mwale, while acting jointly with others between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2017, in his capacity as Permanent Secretary and Chairperson of the Ministerial Procurement Committee for the Ministry of Defence, allegedly violated the law and procedure in the way he authorized the award of the MOD/MPC/024-2017 tender.
Investigations, he claimed, have also shown that Stardy Mwale, acting jointly with others, between the
Investigations have further established that Stardy Mwale, whilst acting together with others,between the 1st April, 2017 and 31st December, 2019, being Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, did fraudulently facilitate a payment of US$ 50,000,000 under the contract number MOD/MPC/024-17 to Elbit Systems Limited for goods and services not supplied in full,” he said.
According to Mr. Moono, the Commission has also detained and jointly charged Stardy Mwale and members of the Ministerial Procurement Committee for the Ministry of Defence with violating Section 34 (2) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 by approving the award of the MOD/MPC/024-17 tender for the Modernization of the Defense Forces Program to Elbit Systems Limited at a contingent price.
Former Defence Secretary Rtd. Brigadier General Michael Obister Mbewe, Former Ministry of Defence Director General Medical Services Rtd. Brigadier General Frank Hardy Sinyangwe, and Former Acting Chief Accountant at the Ministry of Defense Esabel Willima Chinji were among those detained and charged, according to him.
Additionally, the Commission detained Mr. Mwale and charged him with one count of corruptly obtaining public property and money in violation of Section 34 (1)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012.
Details are that Stardy Mwale, jointly and whilst acting together with others, on dates between the 1 st April 2019 and 31st October 2019, being Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, did fraudulently or unlawfully divert 65,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer belonging to the Government of the Republic of Zambia to a private entity. A matter or transaction that concerned the Ministry of Defence a public body,” he said.
Mr Moono said Mr. Mwale and three others have been released on bond and are expected to appear in court soon.
