PF SPENT K100 MILLION ON CAMPAIGN ADVERTISING - WITNESS
A SENIOR Investigations officer at Drug Enforcement commission ( DEC) yesterday told the Lusaka magistrate court that Patriotic Front ( PF) through its former Secretary General, Davies Mwila sent over K100 million to 50 Media houses in the country for adverts in preparation of the 2021 general elections.
Mr Highgon Chilele, an investigations officer under the Anti money laundering investigations unit told senior resident magistrate Davies Chibwili sitting under the Economic and Financial Crimes court that various media houses got the money from the PF for adverts without signing proper documentations.
Mr Chilele said he received a report from Financial Intelligence Center ( FIC) in 2019 alleging that there were suspicious transactions on the account of messers Anna Mwitwa's account valued at K140million domicile at FNB which was going to the media houses.
He said Mwitwa sent money to over 50 Media houses both radio and Television stations as instructed by PF.
Mr Chilele was testifying in a matter Mwila is accused of being in possession of funds valued at over K102million property reasonably suspected of being proceeds of crime.
Mwila, 59, of 343 MN Mukuba is jointly charged with Anna Mwitwa, a Lawyer of 4061 Mwengele Rd Sunningdale in Lusaka.
The two pleaded not guilty to two counts of Possession of Property Suspected to be Proceeds of Crime and
Failure to Report Suspicious Transaction contrary to Section 45 of the Financial Intelligence Act No. 46 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
The charge is in relation with 2021 Election Campaigns funds.
Mr. Chilele testified that what enabled him to start investigating Mwitwa's bank account was the amount she received which was suspicious.
“I analyzed the bank statement and I discovered from my investigations that there were huge sums of money deposited into that account under the references of Davis Mwila in his capacity and some in PF as secretary general and this prompted me to further my investigations to see where this money was coming from,” he said.
He said according to his investigations, the source of funds for the campaign advertisements came from the PF.
“I went back to FNB bank to request for deposit slips and record a statement from the person who was incharge of receiving money named Habeenzu Mukelabai, the slips where provided and I was able to trace the depositor's name who is Grag Kalulu Banda and James Banda who has put their phone numbers.
I contacted James Banda to come to DEC so that he can explain where the money was coming from which he was depositing in Anna Mwitwa's legal account,” said Chilelo.