ARREST NKOMBO – ZRP

THE submission of forged articles to Parliament by Mazabuka Central MP Garry Nkombo was an offence against Zambians and a betrayal of trust which cannot be allowed to go unpunished, the Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) has said.

ZRP leader Wright Musoma said police must move in and arrest the lawmaker. He was speaking to the Daily Nation after Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini “forgave” Mr. Nkombo for breaching Parliamentary privileges after producing a forged letter purported to be from Zesco.

Mr. Musoma said parliament alone could not excuse an offence against Zambians who would have been misled into believing that a major case of corruption had taken place with Zesco having given the ruling Patriotic Front K3 million. He said Mr. Nkombo, as a lawmaker, must be held to a higher level of scrutiny over the offence he committed hence the need for the police to come in and arrest him as he did not deserve any lenience over his forgery case.

Mr Musoma said the purported letter from Zesco was a calculated scheme by the UPND to tarnish the image of President Edgar Lungu and that in the process, they put the jobs of some Zesco employees into jeopardy as they were seen to be corrupt elements.

“We are very disappointed with the outcome of Mr. Nkombo’s case in Parliament and we ask the police to arrest him for forgery so that he can tell us where and how he got that document.

“Mr. Nkombo is one of the people who have been very vocal about imaginary corruption in Government and we expect him to be exemplary.

“As ZRP, we will not rest until Mr. Nkombo is arrested for forgery because it was either he forged the same document to purposefully mislead Parliament and the nation that the PF Government is looting resources from parastatal companies or he connived with someone to do it for him,” Mr. Musoma said.

In March this year, Mr Nkombo produced and laid before the floor of Parliament, a forged letter allegedly confirming a payment of K3 million in favour of PF secretary general Davies Mwila

The PF then wrote to Zesco seeking confirmation on the authenticity of the letter and in its response, Zesco said the letter was forged, deceitful, and malicious. In his ruling two weeks ago, Dr. Matibini, said Mr. Nkombo was in breach of parliamentary privileges. He however exercised lenience on Mr. Nkombo as he was a first offender which he said was also the position of the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges which adjudicated over the matter.