By SYLVESTER MWALE –

A FORTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Zambian along with other foreigners is wanted by the International Police (INTERPOL) for allegedly defrauding the United States government of more than US$13 million in 2007.
Bernard Nyemba’s portrait has been placed on the Interpol website among the most wanted persons in the US for conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to wire fraud.
He is among the 10 Zambians who were wanted by Interpol for various offences, both in Zambia and abroad.
Assistant Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga who also confirmed the indictment, said police were looking for Nyemba.
“As you know that Zambia is a member of Interpol and we are very much aware that Bernard Nyemba is facing fraud charges in the US, so if we find him, we will definitely arrest him and he’ll face the law,” he warned.
Nyemba was also among the 17 people, most of them Kenyans, who were indicted in 2007 by a federal grand jury of the US for participating in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
The alleged wire fraud scheme involved stealing the identities of hundreds of victims, primarily nursing home residents, which were used to seek more than $13.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds.
According to information posted on the Interpol website, Nyemba was born in Zambia in 1967, although he also held a Zimbabwean citizenship.
Although it was not clear on the whereabouts of all the suspects, Nyemba was believed to be either in Zambia or Zimbabwe.
Conspirators were believed to have prepared false information by listing employers that the identity theft victims never worked for, false residence addresses, and other false information.
Apart from Nyemba, 10 other Zambians had been listed by Interpol for various crimes in Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Namibia and Botswana.
These included 42-year-old Maybin Sichilongo, Sandra Simasiku, 25, and 28-year-old Yvonne Minganja who were all being pursued in Botswana for wildlife crime after they were found in possession of elephant tusks.
Others were Luke Chisale, 31, and 36-year-old Jeremiah Musandu who were wanted in Zimbabwe for theft, unlawful entry and acquiring explosive devices without a permit, while Tony Mulenga was being sought by the Zambia Police for motor vehicle theft.
The Interpol had also indicted Joseph Sibusiso Mwale, 39, and Mike Banza, 34, who were both wanted by judicial authorities in Namibia, to serve a sentence for dealing in controlled game products.