ACB to reopen fresh probe into the controversial purchase of Amaryllis Hotel

* Based on the new evidence that the Bureau is receiving through Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee proceedings

* To freeze the accounts linked to the transaction in order to preserve the funds while investigations are underway

By Arthur Kaludzu, Patience Longwe & Innocent Manda, MANA

The acting Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Gabriel Chembezi, has announced that it will reopen investigations into the controversial purchase of Amaryllis Hotel following the emergence of new information during ongoing Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing.

Chembezi told PAC today that the Bureau had earlier indicated in its report that investigations would be reopened if new evidence pointing to corruption emerged — and following new developments emerging from the parliamentary proceedings, coupled with information that the fund proceeded with the purchase of the hotel without addressing concerns previously raised by the bureau, have prompted the decision to reopen the probe.

“With this process, and after learning that the Fund had proceeded to purchase the hotel without reverting to the ACB on the issues we raised, we have now made a decision to reopen the investigations based on the new evidence that we are receiving through these proceedings.”

Chembezi further revealed that the Bureau will freeze the accounts linked to the transaction in order to preserve the funds while investigations are underway: “Since the money is now under investigation, we will freeze the account to preserve it until we complete the investigations based on the new evidence that we are finding.”

Meanwhile, PAC’s chairperson, Steve Malondera said they have welcomed the ACB’s decision to reopen the investigations, noting that it would help address concerns raised during the inquiry.

“As a committee, it has given us comfort because you cannot base a sale on an illegal undertaking,” Malondera said adding that the committee has raised concerns that the ACB may have delayed acting on information suggesting irregularities in the transaction.

“The committee felt that when ACB received information about possible fraud and attempts to cut corners in the public pension fund transaction, it did not move with the speed expected,” he said.

Malondera also dismissed speculation that Chembezi had a conflict of interest in the matter, saying the ACB acting director denied ever having professional dealings with Yousuf Investments, the owners of Amaryllis Hotel.

“At no point in his career has he interacted with or represented Yousuf Investments, and that clarification helped us proceed with the engagement,” said the PAC chairperson, who further indicated that the committee has recommended capacity building within the ACB and stronger protection for whistleblowers to improve corruption investigations.

“All we need going forward is to ensure whistleblowers are protected because some of the limitations raised were due to lack of information from the whistleblower,” Malondera said.

He added that the committee will continue engaging other stakeholders involved in the transaction, including the pension fund’s former and current board members, as part of its ongoing enquiry into the deal.