ACC needs more powers

...give it teeth and power to prosecute without fear or interference.

By AARON CHIYANZO THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should be strengthened and given powers to prosecute directly without seeking consent from the DPP if corruption is to be wiped out, stakeholders in the fight against corruption and financial crimes have demanded.

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) executive director, Wesley Chibamba pointed out that ACC should be given the power to prosecute without consent from the Director of Public Prosecution.

He said that investigations into corruption cases were taking too long to complete and mostly unsuccessful because processes were cumbersome and perpetrators given a chance to hide evidence.

Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) director-general, Mary Tshuma warned that financial crimes leading to economic sabotage had become more sophisticated than ever before.

Ms Tshuma said that investigative agencies should be more vigilant to understand latest trends pertaining to financial crimes for them to be able to counter the vices.

The stakeholders in the fight against corruption and financial crimes were speaking at the 2nd annual Anti- Money Laundering Countering the Financing of Terrorism 2017 Conference in Lusaka yesterday.

“Corrupt people who have power or authority are rarely successfully investigated and arrested because if you look at the processes, ACC has to investigate allegations for some time. When they finish, they have to seek permission from the DPP to prosecute. By the time all this is happening, perpetrators are alerted by their friends and they hide the evidence. So give ACC powers to prosecute without seeking permission from the DPP,” said Mr Chibamba.

Meanwhile, Premier Consult Limited chief executive officer, Professor Oliver Saasa also emphasised the need for ACC to be strengthened and allowed to operate without fear if the fight against financial crimes and corruption was to be won.

Prof Saasa said that laws that regulate operations of investigative wings should be amended to make them aggressive.

A panelist from the Bank of Zambia, Maulu Hamunjele warned that dirty money may be used to fund confusion in the country if financial crimes were not countered and investigative agencies given necessary powers.

And Ms Tshuma said Zambia needed a hostile environment for criminals seeking to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime and corruption.