• Katongo

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –

A FORMER MTN accountant has been arrested by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) for money laundering activities involving K1.7 million.
Fernando Marques Malambo, 30, of Libala Stage 4B in Lusaka has also been charged with theft by servant, fraudulent false accounting, and unauthorised interference with data.
Malambo, in his capacity as Financial Officer – Payroll & Controls at MTN (Z) Limited between January 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 allegedly stole K1, 780, 667.64 property of MTN.
DEC public relations officer, Theresa Katongo said Malambo is alleged to have engaged in an act of fraudulent false accounting in his capacity as creator of salaries and other payments on the MTN integrated banking system.
Malambo allegedly created fraudulent payments on the payroll system by inserting his three account numbers with different known banks against some names of MTN officials purporting to show on the system that they were rightly paid.
It is further alleged that Malambo interfered with data on the MTN payroll system fraudulently by modifying data to suit himself, without authority.
Malambo also engaged directly or indirectly in money laundering activities, whereby using the proceeds of crime, he purchased seven motor vehicles valued at K141, 269, 080.
DEC has since seized the motor vehicles and two bank accounts belonging to Malambo with balances of US$41, 332.61 and K149, 272.34.
Meanwhile, the Commission has arrested three people for unlawful cultivation and trafficking in more than 700 kilogrammes cannabis.
Ms Katongo said Liswaniso Nganga, 35, a peasant farmer of Kamanga village in Mulobezi District for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 385kilogramme.
Boyd Chazanga, 28, a businessman of Mugaba village in Kazungula District was arrested for unlawful cultivation of fresh cannabis plants weighing 295.5 kilogrammes, while Cleophas Walimaposo, 24, of Nkausu village in Kapiri Mposhi was arrested for trafficking in loose cannabis weighing 52.3 kilogrammes.