Michael Sata

THERE is no way Frederick Chiluba is going to escape the Carlington maize scandal,

Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata said yesterday.

And Transparency International - Zambia (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka has stated that his organisation does not agree that the Carlington maize deal saga should be pursued primarily to settle political scores with opposition FDD president Edith Nawakwi.

In an interview, Sata said in the event that corruption in the Carlington maize scandal was proved, Nawakwi could not be convicted without former president Chiluba.

He mockingly praised home affairs minister Lameck Mangani stance to press on with investigations over the Carlington maize transaction.

Mr Mangani is a very good man, tell him he is a very, very good man because by bringing back the Carlington maize scandal, Mr Mangani is disagreeing with his boss Mr Rupiah Banda on the fight against corruption, Sata said. And by Mr Mangani insisting on the Carlington maize scandal, he knows that there is no way Frederick Chiluba is going to escape and there is no way Edith Nawakwi is going to be convicted without Chiluba. So Mr Mangani is very good!

He encouraged Mangani to proceed and deal with Chiluba over the Carlington maize deal.

Mr Mangani is very good and we are grateful to him. Mr Mangani, like many other people in Rupiah Bandas government did not agree with him on his decision on these dubious acquittals, Sata said. And you tell him that we have even withdrawn PF secretary general Wynter Kabimbas statement, he is acting like a village dog and Not a Rottweiler, we have agreed. We have withdrawn that one!

But he should not act like a village dog, which only barks and retreats. Tell him that he should not be barking and retreating. He must go ahead and deal with Chiluba and his Carlington maize scandal.

He urged Mangani to reveal more information.

Mr Mangani should also openly tell us who sold Kasaba Bay and who was it sold to, who sold Mpulungu port and Mulungushi Traveller and who was sold these two entities. He is a very, very good man, so let him revive all these cases so that justice can prevail, Sata said.

And Lifuka stated that the revelations by Mangani that the government was quietly investigating the Carlington maize deal saga made interesting reading.

In the first place, it is important that Zambians realise that this saga has been with us since 1997 and it is one case which seemingly will not go away easily until a logical conclusion is reached. In commenting on this saga, we are mindful of the basic facts namely that close to US $7.8 million was paid to the then Canadian based Carlington Sales Company - associated with one Ari Ben-Menashe, for the supply of 50,000 metric tonnes of maize which was never delivered, Lifuka stated. An additional US $2 million was allegedly paid to Ben-Menashe so that his public relations company could lobby for investment in Zambia's mines. Further, it is important to put into perspective the fact that this issue was addressed by the Auditor General and her report was considered by Parliament firstly through the Public Accounts Committee and later the full House in 2006.

He also stated that absolutely no one should be let off the hook.

The now defunct Task Force on Corruption had conduct of this matter, did in fact record a warn and caution statement from former president Frederick Chiluba and with subsequent interviews held with former Finance Bank executive chairperson Rajan Mathani and former minister of finance and FDD president Edith Nawakwi. As far as Transparency International Zambia is concerned, government is definitely within its rights to pursue this matter as we need closure which has been lacking for some time. However, we do not agree that the Carlington maize deal saga should be pursued primarily to settle political scores with Ms Nawakwi, Lifuka stated. We have previously urged government to ensure that they leave no stone unturned in this matter and that there should not be any sacred cows. We will fully support government if they go the whole way and bring all culprits to book and absolutely no one should be let off the hook. A lot has been said about this matter and it seems no one is concerned about the colossal amount of public money that went into this deal. Imagine what this country can do with USD 7.8 million? We will support Hon. Mangani if his interest is to genuinely ensure justice is done for the Zambian people and that some of this amount, if not all is recovered notwithstanding that Carlington Sales Company was liquidated some years ago.

We would also be interested in Hon. Mangani briefing the nation whether the US $6 million plus interest which Ari Ben Menashe was ordered to repay to Nedcor Bank of South Africa, to whom the Zambian government had ceded the contract to, by the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has been settled and whether Nedcor still has any claims against the Zambian government.

He stated that the government should inform the nation on the results of the US $2 million for international lobbying awarded to Ben Menashe.

Did we benefit anything from this deal? It is good that Hon. Mangani is expressing interest in this matter but he should be prepared to address all the issues at hand and not narrow it to a political weapon forged against his opponents - Zambians for a long time have been crying for answers on this matter and it is a blessing in disguise that Hon. Mangani is willing to step to the plate and bring a sense of closure to this matter, and we only hope that this enthusiasm on the part of the minister is not a mirage but a principled stand to conclude this matter, stated Lifuka.